


Mockingbird

by Onlymostydead



Category: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Genre: Agender Daruk, Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst, Anxiety, Car Accident, Date Rape Drug/Roofies, Disordered Eating, F/F, Fire, Fluff, Friends as Family, Happy Ending, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Minor Character Death, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, M/M, Misgendering, Nightmares, Nonbinary Character, Nonbinary Revali, Panic Attacks, Pining, Underage Drinking, graphic vomiting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-16
Updated: 2019-12-27
Packaged: 2020-10-20 02:11:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 45
Words: 111,258
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20667602
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Onlymostydead/pseuds/Onlymostydead
Summary: Revali was excited about two things about college: the education, and his roommate and fellow archery buff, Harth. Other than that? He supposed he would just have to suffer through it with a book. But when a "Small problem" with one of the dorm buildings changed their arrangements, his new roommate Link just had to be cute...Link didn't really want to go to college in the first place. So when everything started getting strange, from his beautiful but cold roommate to the arson rumors around campus, he supposed he would just have to roll with it and hope for the best... Right?But what could happen when they're forced to work together on a group project spanning the whole semester? Will Revali finally warm up to Link, or will it all go up in flames?





	1. One

August 27

(Revali)

This was going to be interesting... Either that or it would be a nightmare, but Saki's voice in the back of his head was a constant reminder to be positive.

Revali already knew that fitting in with the rest of the picture perfect college students milling about around him would be impossible. There were just too many things stacked against him, from the difference in locational approach to... Whatever the hell he was stuck thinking about.

It was strange that, going into his freshman year of college, fifth grade was the thing on his mind, but right now it seemed oddly fitting... Well, a little bit did. Not the sweaty hallway smell, or everyone struggling to fit in, but...

Murphy's law was one of the only things Revali remembered his fifth grade teacher teaching him about. It seemed unnecessary and pessimistic at the time, but now that he was eighteen, halfway across the country, and entirely alone? He could certainly find some truth in it.

That is, that everything that can go wrong, will.

Positivity, Saki reminded.

Screw that.

First thing was the college itself. Namely, the dorms. The way that he had specified things should have put him in a shared dorm, with at least two roommates, more likely three. Hell, he had even talked to one of them; a fellow archery buff named Harth. Revali had grown quite used to the idea of living with him - that was, until he got the email right before boarding his flight.

"Mr. Gale,  
We at University of Wyoming at Hyrule are sorry to inform you that there has been an issue in the south wing of our dormitories. Due to this minor problem, room arrangements have been accordingly adjusted since you enrolled in our University. We apologize for any inconvenience to your person.

— Mr. R. C. Owlan, Chief Administrator, UWH."

Revali thought it was a prank at first, or at least in some kind of joke. How, only a week before classes started, had there been such a 'problem' in the south wing? He blamed Teba for the email and thought nothing of it. If he had service, he would have received some strong words, most likely. But as it was, there was nothing he could do about it.

Just ignoring it for the time being, trying to get some sleep, and anxiously chipping at his nail polish on the flight.

As it turned out, the email was legitimate. The lady who gave him his key informed him of that, and after searching a list for much longer than seemed necessary, found what dorm he had been transferred to. He would be sharing 302N with one other person; another freshman named Link Wilde.

"South Wing burned down, you see." The lady said, shaking her head and clicking her tongue. "Such a shame. They're still looking into it, seeing if someone's to blame. I think it was a few of the kids, personally, but don't quote me on that."

"Thank you, ma'am." Revali smiled, taking his key and turning to go-

"Please," She said. "Call me Impa."

That was strange. When would he be back here again? Maybe sometime, but certainly not often enough to need to know her name, necessarily. Still...

"Thank you, Impa."

And with that, he turned and left.

Half in shock and half plain angry, Revali made his way to the north dorms. The campus itself was nice, but an overwhelming feeling of damp pervaded the air. Struggling not to slip amid all of the mud had proven quite difficult, though other than that the weather was nice. It was warmer here than it had been at home, something he was grateful for. The cold always had a way of sinking into his bones. It would get cold eventually, sure, but much later in the season.

Revali was so focused on the weather, clear sky, and colorful trees that he almost walked right past his dorm building. And, to be honest, he wished he had.

To start, the north wing looked ancient- easily older than any of the other buildings Revali had passed on his way here. The gutter surrounding the bleak four story was caked full of dead leaf mulch and mud. The building itself was a dull grey with hints of what may have been green in the past, but was now closer to the color of moldy wheat bread.

"Celebrating our one hundred year anniversary," Revali muttered to himself, quoting the over-enthusiastic website. "Well, it shows. Oops, sorry. Positivity."

Still grumbling about the whole thing, he lugged his suitcases to the door and pushed his way inside.

The first thing that hit him was the smell. It wasn't unpleasant, per se, but it seemed as though seventy different citrus scented cleaners had been used to thoroughly scrub out in the entryway alone. Gagging, he wondered how bad it smelled before to justify this level of cleaning.  
Second was the look of the interior. Beige walls with cracked white trim, and sticky carpet of the same moldy color the trim had been outside, but slightly more vibrant, if at all possible (that might have just been wishful thinking. Positivity?). A coupe of other students whizzed by, but none of them paid any attention to him. The hallway echoed with the sounds of people's rolling suitcases and bags scraping against the walls.

Containing a scream about how this explained his low housing costs, Revali turned to look at a sign hung on the wall next to the elevator, detailing that the first number of each room corresponded to the floor. 302N would be on the third floor then, so Revali pressed the button to go up.

Nothing happened.

He pressed the button two more times before noticing the piece of paper taped beneath the floor sign.

"As of now, the elevator is down for maintenance. Please be patient as we all wait for it to become operational."

Revali rolled his eyes and searched for the stairs. It would be a nightmare to get up all two flights with his things, but he could most certainly manage. He packed light... Not that he ever had many things to pack. Still, he was irritated that he had not only been moved dorms, but he had also been put in what had to be the shittiest building on campus.

Well, other than the one that was burned to the ground. If it was anything like this one, it may have deserved it. Maybe it was students angrier than him at the conditions. 

But by the time he got up the stairs, Revali was exhausted. Thankfully, being number 302, his door was one of the first near the door. His key went in with a hitch, but it wasn't too hard to push open. He held his breath before pushing open the door.

So that's the smell they were trying to cover up. The moment the door creaked open a mix of dust and rotten food hit Revali's nose, making him gag.

That seemed to be the worset part, though. The interior didn't look so bad: white walls, short grey carpet, and a window straight across from where Revali had entered. The beds were against the walls, with desks behind them and the window between. Shelves lined the walls above the beds, and little closets sat at the feet of them.

Nothing seemed overly dirty, just... Slightly disgusting. Dingy, at worst. A few unfortunate flies had been trapped inside, now dead on the windowsill. The bathroom, which was adjoined to the main room to the left, was very small, but manageable. One sink with little to no countertop space, a toilet, and a standing shower. There was even a plunger next to the toilet.

How convenient. Positivity.

Revali sighed. This was really not what he was expecting - but he was going to have to deal with it. Hd had dealt with far, far worse... And he probably wasn't going to be in the same dorm next semester, after all. Maybe the other buildings were nicer, and they just stuck freshmen in here.

Something about the whole situation made him doubt how true that was, but he decided to not dwell on it too much. He would only be here a semester... Right?

Revali lugged his suitcases to the bed on the left, and sat down on the bed. A small but present puff of dust rose up when he say down.

"This has got to be violating some code or other," He grumbled to himself. "It seems like this is the out-of-order wing so far - maybe they made a mistake and I'm supposed to be somewhere else."

No matter how much Revali said it, the words still didn't seem true.

He rolled his eyes. "Might as well."

Shoving his suitcases into the cleanest looking corner of the room, Revali got to work. First was the bed - that had to get fixed. He stripped the whole thing of it's thin sheets, and shook them out as well as he could in the hallway. Then, deciding to be nice, he did the same for the other bed. 

His roommate had better love him.

When that was done he started on the hard surfaces. Wetting a bit of toilet paper from the bathroom, he started dusting off everything horizontal surface. Once that was done he put all his bags on the bed, made sure he had his key, and left the room.

That was one of the things he had heard from Teba and Saki - there's often a vacuum somewhere in the building if you know where to look for it. The trick was knowing where to look for it, and Revali had no idea.  
Thankfully, he could hear the sound of a vacuum running from somewhere, hopefully on his floor. Turning his ear to the noise, he began to follow, through the gross, damp feeling halls, around the dusty corners...

How did it smell so much like cleaner while being so dirty?

In no time at all Revali found himself in front of room 324N, where two girls inside were vigorously cleaning the interior. One was tall with her dyed red hair pulled up in a high ponytail, wearing a simple yellow sundress. The other was a short blonde wearing a blue cable-knit sweater.

Revali cleared his throat.

"Excuse me?" He asked, once the redhead turned off the vacuum.

"Yes?" She barely looked up, only glancing at the door.

Revali swallowed, and tried his best not to stutter. "May I borrow your vacuum, once you're done?"

"Sure." She replied, leaning the vacuum against the wall. "I'll be done in a moment - but it's not just ours, so you know. There's a closet, just around the corner-" She pointed out the door to the right. "That has some cleaning supplies for our floor."

"Thank you." Revali replied with a forced smile. 

He wondered what cleaning supplies he could have been using when he was 'cleaning' the dorm out earlier, especially the bathroom.

"Oh, I'm Urbosa, Urbosa Naboris." The redhead said, sticking out her hand to shake. "And that's Zelda Hyrule."

Revali took the hand. "Revali Gale." 

"Pleased to meet you." She smiled. "Now if you'll excuse me-"

With that, Urbosa turned away and went back to vacuuming the floor, and Revali went back to awkwardly standing outside their door. 

Absently he thought about different things he should have done before he left the dorm room; open the window was certainly one... The floor in the bathroom definitely needed to be washed before Revali was going into it barefoot, but if he could vacuum it first that would be a plus. The last person who stayed there had long, dark hair that they had graciously left all over the floor for Revali to deal with. He had picked up most of it earlier, but it still didn't feel clean.

If his roommate also had long hair, that would royally suck. His own - well past collar bone length now, he was proud to say, almost to his armpit - was a mess enough when it came to bathrooms. He had clogged his fair share of drains.

But that whole shower needed to be thoroughly scrubbed before he was going on there. Disgusting.

Sitting down on the floor, Revali leaned against the wall. Next week classes started - and for a whole semester, if not year, this building may be his home.

"Welcome to Hyrule." He muttered to himself, and scoffed. "For our one hundredth anniversary. Murphy's law, anyone? Or would you rather some ill-advised positivity?"

This whole thing was off to a bad start. First the dorm change for a... How did the email word it? Revali pulled out his phone.

"Minor problem."

They called it a minor problem. Then Impa, who looked like she could be celebrating her one hundredth along with the school, said that it was a fire? And she thought it was an arson?

That was a bad start if Revali ever saw one. He didn't trust this one but. And if he didn't have such good scholarships to be here...

"Your degree is more important that your superstition." Revali reminded himself, rolling his eyes. "Grow up a little."

But something didn't seem right about the whole thing, still. It was probably fine, but...

"Here, we're done with the vacuum." Urbosa handed it over to him with a nod. "If someone doesn't come to get it from you, just put it back in the closet."

"Sounds perfect."


	2. Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Revali continues to settle in, letting his family know what's going on here in Hyrule... Well, approximately. 
> 
> And Link gets his new roommate assignment.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Things that will be accurate: the feelings of this fic, and my meticulous timeline
> 
> Things that will be dubiously accurate: the fact that I, the author, have never been to college, and so am flying by the seat of my pants. Suspend your disbelief?

August 27

(Link)

(Zelda): Have you gotten your new rooming arrangement?

(Link): ya

(Link): but like. He's hot.

(Zelda): You're such a disaster, you know that??

(Link): shh you are too

(Zelda): Fair

(Zelda): When do you get here?

(Link): Tomorrow 

(Zelda): ooh, then you'll meet your hot roommate 

(Link): shit

(Zelda): good luck with that

(Link): I'll need it 

***

(Revali)

Lifting the vacuum with relative ease, Revali made his way back to his dorm room. It would make all the difference, he figured, even if it was... Old. It was fine, of course. Not too bad. It worked, and that was what mattered. The girls in 324N, Zelda and Urbosa, didn't say anything about it not working right, so...

Revali took a deep breath, trying to keep a good attitude. Sure, college wasn't what he had thought it would be, but that didn't mean it wouldn't get better. The classic, picturesque "College experience" was a sham anyway, he knew that. It was just...

Still, he ground his teeth and stalked back to the room, readjusting how he was holding the vacuum. When he got there it was a struggle to get out his key, get it into the lock, and why was it so hard to-?

The door knob twisted open, and Rdvali nearly tripped and fell onto the vacuum. Narrowly avoiding face planting into the dirty carpet, he pulled himself upright.

"Maybe things will get better." He mumbled, trying more than nothing to get himself to believe it. "Maybe."

With a deep breath, he began to vacuum the floor, trying his best to keep a tune in his head. A poem. Anything.

"The wind is cold and dark and dreary..." That one Longfellow poem they had to memorize freshman year was all that was coming to mind. "Never mind. Anything but that."

***

After what felt like forever vacuuming, scrubbing, wiping, and generally lamenting the general cleanliness of the room and wondering if this college even has dorm inspections at the end of the semester, Revali was finally finished. Dusting the shelves had been a nightmare, and moving the dressers had been worse- but it was done now.

It did feel a little better now that it was clean, even though he was getting tired. He checked his phone: 5:13 in the evening. That meant it was... 3:13 back at home. He had no business being tired now, but... Travel had a tendency of sapping your very life force.  
How long has it been? Three hours, well, closer to three and a half to Seattle, then... Revali had no idea, having finally been able to sleep on that plane. Plus, he hadn't been keeping track of how long the layover was in Seattle. Either way, his initial flight had left at 8:00... Plus the drive to get to the airport...

Revali sighed. It didn't matter how long the travel day actually was, just that it was a long travel day from Tabantha, to the Ted Stevens Airport in Anchorage, to the Hyrule Regional Airport, to here. 

Plus, napping always made him feel more tired later. 

With a yawn, he got back to work. It was strange looking at all his belongings in his suitcase, backpack, and little book bag. Not too bad, but still... It had been a little while since he had to do that.

Unstrapping his pillow from his suitcase, he flung that on the bed. There were already simple blankets on the beds, but he was glad his own fleece blanket was tucked into his pillowcase. It got cold during the winters here too, and he wasn't about to let himself be chilled.

"Though I doubt this is the best building when it comes to AC." Revali rolled his eyes. "If it gets hot, I'm fucked."

Taking the blanket out of the pillowcase, taking the bags off of the bed, and spreading out the blanket made it feel a little more like home. The blanket had been a welcoming gift from his da- Teba, after all. He wouldn't admit that he was right, but the spruce tree pattern was a good reminder of home. It felt like Tabantha.

"Now, for everything else..."

He really didn't have a whole lot in the matter of things to unpack, but he would still have to get it done sometime. There were a few plastic hangers in each closet, but really only... He counted seven in his own, five in his roommates. For a moment he debated taking his hangers too, but decided against it. That would be wrong, he reminded himself.

"Every man for himself." Revali rolled his eyes again, shutting his roommates closet. 

He would just have to prioritize which items of clothing needed to be hung up. His sweaters were quickly folded and put into the - now rigorously clean - drawers at the bottom, along with jeans or other such pants. Tee shirts were added to that, as well as the tank tops that would wrinkle too badly. Underwear and socks took up a good chunk of a drawer, next to sleepwear and a couple of thicker sweaters.

Revali absently wondered if there had been an ironing board and iron in the closet down the hall, but couldn't remember. That would be a good thing to know... He needed to check that ASAP.

Though, he had a feeling that even though he packed like he would dress well, he would end up doing the same thing he always did: rotating through the same few combinations that worked and just changing up this or that when he had to.

Dresses were hung up first, and skirts could hang with two per hanger, as long as he could keep them from slipping too badly. He would need more hangers- but not too many as long as he could keep it al in check.

Jealously, he eyes the other closet. Five more hangers would make a huge difference... He shook his head. He wanted his roommate to like him, even if it wasn't Harth.

It wouldn't be Harth. That reality hadn't exactly set in, but... Deep breaths. This whole situation was shitty, so that was just another thing tacked on. Impa told him his roommate was someone else.

That would be fine. He closed the closet door, and took another deep breath. The two textbooks he had been able to get in person back home went on the desk, and his phone charger was plugged into the outlet.

Now for the bathroom. Soap was put on the ledge in the shower, his towel hung on the rack, the hand towel Teba reminded him to bring hung up... Revali frowned. The little to no counter space would be hell to do his makeup with, so he stowed his makeup bag (bags) on the shelf above the bed. Easily accessible, but still out of sight.   
Other school items were put on his desk, along with his books he had taken from home.

It felt lonely without having more from someone else's collection there, but still the little assortment of books at the back of the desks felt good. To Kill a Mockingbird, his two small volumes of Shakespeare, his volume of Poe, The Outlaws, and Pride and Prejudice. It wasn't much, but they felt more like home than anything else did. The worn covers, the cracked spines...

Then they fell over. In an instant Revali picked the books back up, stacking them instead. It didn't look as nice that way, but it would be alright. At the very least they wouldn't fall.

Still, his stomach wouldn't settle, after that. It seemed like the final nail in the coffin. 

Trying to ignore his own superstitious self, Revali sat down at the head of the bed. It wasn't entirely comfortable to sit there in order to access his phone while it was charging, but he would manage. 

What was that guy's name again? It had been an odd name, not something he had thought about being a name at all. Tank? Absolutely not. Revali tried to picture Impa, how had she said it...

Link Wilde. He had remembered because it was like Oscar Wilde, but... Sausage. Now to see if he had an Instagram.  
Revali tapped his foot, waiting for it to load. The internet wasn't bad here, not nearly as bad as at home, but it still wasn't very quick. Sure enough, Link Wilde appeared in the search. 

Link Wilde  
"Hell's not empty, I'm here. UWH."

Revali rolled his eyes. What kind of person could he expect from that description? Oh well, he rolled his eyes. The profile picture was of a flower crown of white and blue flowers Revali didn't recognize on a blonde head. The face wasn't visible.

In fact, that seemed to be a common thread among his posts. Either they were of nature, or various different people. One stood out: it was a picture of a Polaroid, with a girl standing in waist deep water, her blond hair just dipping into the surface. Her white dress seemed to billow outward, and the sunset glow turned her to gold. The water around her was dark, but you could still see how crystal clear the it must be. Lily pads dotted the surface. Revali checked the caption:

"My best friend - or a goddess. That too."

The location read that he was at Lanayru Spring, in Wyoming. That had to be west of the university, to have that kind of water and greenery. The small cliffs surrounding the water made it look like a hidden place, and maybe she did seem like a goddess after all.

Revali saved the photo for inspiration. With a creative writing major he was sure having a collection of inspiration would be useful. With that, he kept going.

There were a few photos that seemed like they were him: a cliché shot of a person holding up an old camera and taking a photo of themself in the mirror; two people laughing with their arms around each other, one young and one old; a boy from the shoulders up in a mirror, head turned to the side, with his blonde hair falling in his face. The captions were what really said which ones were him, though.

"Obligatory hipster pic- thanks for letting me borrow your dad's camera, Zel. Fuck you Mr. Hyrule, xoxo."

"Missing gramps - ignore me."

"An out of body experience."

It seemed like each one fully explained the photo, but didn't add anything to it. They were just... Filler material. But aside from that, he could get an okay idea of his appearance. Blonde hair that, if it were down, would fall to his shoulders, bangs hanging over blue eyes and a round face, pink lips, and a tiny button nose.

He would play a perfect Christmas elf, with how those ears looked sticking out from behind his hair. In every picture there were strands that didn't make it into his ponytail, covering his jaw. It was a little comical, but cute. He used to wear his hair like that all the time, back when he was insecure about his jaw being too manly. But he didn't think that was it.

No, this guy was just adorable.

Revali frowned, chastising himself. He wasn't allowed to do that - he was cute, but... He still didn't even know what kind of person he was. And falling for your roommate was the worst thing you could do. He had to live with this guy!

Taking a deep breath, Revali searched for faults. His hair was dirty in most of the pictures, naturally greasy. That no doubt made the acne on his forehead worse. His shoulders always seemed a little drawn up: awkward.

Still frowning, Revali turned off his phone. The image of Link Wilde still played through his head, until he was desperately trying to think of anything else.

His clothing. Link was only wearing tee shirts and hoodies in those photos. Which meant...

As if doing it quickly made it any better, Revali took the hangers from Link's closet, hanging up the remaining items of his that would wrinkle.

"Every man for himself," Revali shrugged, then flopped down on his bed.

There were still other things to do, but that would be unimportant for now. His bag with other things was still in his suitcase, and his laptop still in his book bag. Those things could be dealt with later - for now, he could afford a few minutes.

Oh, wait. That was important. Revali pulled out his phone.

(Revali): Hey, I'm alive and I made it

(Saki): Yay!!!

(Saki): How is it?

Revali frowned. He could tell the truth, but... No. Teba and Saki didn't need to worry about him for no reason. He was fine here; what was a little dorm change with a small mix up? A little bit of possible arson was just... The college experience, right?

(Revali): Great, so far. My roommate isn't here yet, but the dorm is good, and I've met a couple of people.

Technically not a lie - he did meet a couple of people. He hoped that she would be optimistic and take that as more than two, though.

(Saki): That's awesome, I'm so proud of you <3

(Saki): Be sure to get some food and some rest!

(Revali): Don't worry, I will

(Saki): Love you <3

He couldn't bring himself to respond.


	3. Three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The day has come for Link to move in... But that never goes as smoothly as planned, does it? Especially not with roommates.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank y'all for all the support!

August 28

(Revali) 

Revali woke up to the smell of smoke. It was everywhere, filling his nose, sting I got the back of his throat. Coughing, he rolled over, trying to make sense of the world around him. His bed seemed distorted, the spruce trees on his blanket almost swaying. The shelves against the other wall didn't seem straight. His head was pounding. Pushing off the blanket, he sat up.

The smoke with thicker now, and some elementary school memory in his brain reminded him to stop, drop, and roll. His room was on the ground floor of their cabin, so he was in the safest place he could be in case of a-

Fire. This was a fire. Blinking the sleep from his eyes Revali threw himself up to his feet, pulling his pajama shirt over his nose and mouth. His parents were probably already outside, he just had to get there.

But the elevator was out of order... Wasn't it?

The smoke stung his eyes as Revali fought forward, leaning on the wall for support. No, he was definitely in his childhood home now, the dorm was far behind him, left somewhere in smoke. Something about that nagged at the back of his brain, but he could only worry about now.

Conditions were getting urgent, the smoke making his eyes sting and water.

He stumbled out into the open, out of his bedroom. The left half of the living room, the half closest to the kitchen, was burning furiously. As soon as he got through the living room would be the mud room, then he would be outside. The heat was unbearable as he pressed forward, running through the inferno of his home.

A loud crack shook his ears, and Revali fell to the floor from the shock of it. The wooden planks beneath his face were warm, but the air wasn't as bad down here. He crawled forward, then stopped.

His parents were already out, but how could he forget his Bird? 

It wasn't a real bird, just a little stuffed raven he had gotten for his fifth birthday. He never went anywhere without Bird, and he couldn't let him burn.  
Without a second more thought, Revali turned around and crawled back into his room. Seeing it burning now that he was awake brought tears to his dry, stinging eyes, but he was on a mission. 

There Bird was - laying beside his bed. The edge of his wing was on fire, but Revali grabbed him anyway. He pushed his smoldering wing into the bed to extinguish it, reminded of how dad would kill the fire on the end of a log by burying it in the dirt.

But now Bird was safely extinguished, clutched to Revali's chest once more.

Turning on his heel, he ran. He had to get out now, even though the smoke in his lungs burned and made his head spin, stinging his throat and lungs. The living room whirled past, then the mud room. In an instant he had thrown the door open, run outside, and fallen into the snow. 

The cold felt good on his hot skin, and now he could get a better look at Bird. Very little damage had been done, just a little singed along the edges.

He looked up at the south dorm building, and saw it slowly collapsing. What? Where was his parents cabin? 

Where was he?

Revali felt too hot, the snow doing nothing for his temperature. It was like he himself was burning, burning, burning-

And he could hear Link, and the girl from the spring picture screaming from inside the building before it collapsed, and all that was left was smoldering ashes. Someone was laughing, the students who burned it. Was this just a joke? Was it all just a joke?

He was sweating and burning, hot tears dripping down his face, no one around him but-

***

Revali woke up springing upright. He was crying, crying and sweating profusely. He threw off the fleece blanket with his free hand, and-

His traitorous other hand had gotten Bird from his backpack. The raven was still a little singed on one side, but still surprisingly soft. Well loved. Sometimes he was surprised he survived this long. Thirteen years.

Sometimes he was surprised they had both survived this long.

Deep breaths. In and out. No smoke. Revali reached up to the desk and grabbed his phone. 1:04 in the morning, which many that he had fallen asleep earlier. Shit. His hopes for a normal sleep schedule were out the window.

Stretching, Revali slung his legs over the side of the bed. Looking at the other side of the room was... Depressing. It was like there was nothing there but white, white, and slightly off-white.   
Deciding not to tolerate that, he got up and sat down on the other bed. It wasn't easy to say, but the other side wasn't much better. A black suitcase and backpack were shoved under the bed, a makeup bag on the shelf, a black pillowcase, green and black fleece blanket, and a closed closet that betrayed nothing of the inside. Oh, and a sad little stack of books.

It was so... Empty. That was all Revali felt, sitting on a strangers bed in this little dorm room. Empty.

Positivity, Saki's voice begged, but it was too faint now.

He couldn't just sit here. It wasn't right. Something about how small the room was, how closed off, made his feel like he was suffocating. Pulling up the blinds, Revali threw open the window. Getting some fresh air would help. See, no smoke, just a cold night's breeze. He didn't want to turn on the light though; it would be like broadcasting that he was awake to everyone around. Instead, he grabbed his phone and headed to the bathroom to get ready for the day.

***

After scrubbing his face clean of the minimal makeup he had been wearing (five minutes); stripping out of his clothes, folding them, and putting them away (five minutes); and taking a long shower until he couldn't keep pretending the water pressure was any better than it was (one hour); it was still only 2:36 in the morning. With an annoyed sigh, Revali grabbed his phone to check what time the campus library opened: 5:00. Which meant that, in order to even do that, he would still have to wait another two and a half hours. No, only two hours and fifteen minutes; he had to walk there. Unless he walked slowly...

Growling in frustration, Revali stood up from his place on his bed. He could never get to sleep after the nightmare. In fact, he was lucky he hadn't woken up screaming. That would have been unfortunate for everyone else in this building. He screamed loud.

Making his bed took no time at all, considering the fact that all he had to do was straighten the pillow and spread out his blanket. That was fine. Reaching over to his desk, he grabbed The Outlaws. He had been reading it on the first plane, and his bookmark was shoved about three quarters of the way through.

Well.. 'bookmark'. It was a photograph of his family... well, the only 'family' of his that he had a photo of left. It had been their Christmas card last year, when Revali had only been with them for a few months. Tulin had insisted that it was tradition to wear 'awful sweaters' as he called them, so they were. Teba's was bright red with a big brown reindeer in the center. Saki's was green, with a fairy lights design all across it. Tulin, who had been allowed to pick out his own, wore a bright blue sweater with a variety of little designs on it in stripes. 

Revali smiled, thinking about his own black sweater with a giant tree in the middle. He only wore it around the house, but he had still taken it with him. It had felt right, somehow. After all, he wouldn't be able to go back to stay with them for the holidays; money was just too tight for the additional round trip.

Now where had he put those? 

They weren't on his desk with other such supplies, so where had he - Revali rifled through his suitcase, searching for the little plastic tin. He had shoved it into a side pocket, that's what it was. As soon as Revali had seen that they were allowed to use thumbtacks on the walls he had gotten a pack. The picture looked even more lonely like that, hanging above his desk, but it wasn't so bad next to his stack of books. 

Revali checked his phone again: 2:40. It would be a long few hours. With a groan, he sat in the chair at the desk, opened his Freshman Bio textbook, and started reading.

It was never too early to start, right?

***

Finally free of the dorm room, Revali left at precisely 4:30 to go to the library. That always calmed his nerves, after all; though the campus library was anything by familiar, and the walk there wasn't all that pretty... Especially with the remains of the south dorm still caution taped off. 

But that was easy to ignore.

Thankfully it hadn't rained again; the ground was dry, and the air was cool but bearable. Absently, he turned the can of pepper spray in his hand. It was very dark outside, the sun not even close to rising. The areas around the dorms were well lit, but as he got closer to the library it got a bit sketchier.

The library was one of the few buildings that looked as old as the north dorms, though in better repair...on the outside, at least, and in the low lighting. Daylight and a better look might say otherwise. But the same dusty green colored trim traced the edges of the beige building that proudly displayed that it was, in fact, the library in large metal letters on the front. The metal drop box reminded him of the one back home, Revali thought with a little smile. The chipped paint exposing rust was a familiar sight.

Of course, this library was far bigger than his own local one. That one had only one floor, with about two old computers available for people to use and six people in it at once, at a busy moment.   
This one was huge, and a bit... Overwhelming. With a deep breath he stepped inside.

He expected to feel at home, but all he felt was that tight gut feeling of when his books fell over the day previous.

"Just superstition." Revali convinced himself, shaking his head. "Stupid."

But still, nothing could quite put him at ease.

***

As Revali trudged back to the dorm his body felt a little lighter, though his bag was far heavier. Checking out books for pleasure reading, while not really practical, was much more fun than the books he had to search for in the past few months. That awkward feeling had gone away after a moment or two; it really was just nerves, he thought. Besides, he had done the important work of finding library textbooks too; and trying to get a textbook at an affordable price was like...

He paused his train of thought when he came to his door, reaching into his purse to find the key. He had sworn he put it right - finding it, he unlocked the door and walked in.

Standing in front of him, facing away but spinning around to look, was Link Wilde. 

He looked different in photos, though the main difference was height. Revali himself wasn't a tall person - standing at about five foot five - so Link had to be under the five foot line. His hair looked a little dirtier still and more disheveled, and his acne was more prominent. Blue eyes, blue hoodie, blue earrings- was it his favorite color or did he just know that it looked stupidly good on him?

Immediately Revali was thinking about what he himself was wearing, and if he looked good in it: black high waisted shorts, black long sleeve, and his blue scarf. Shit. It was feminine from his little heeled boots to the way he had fixed his hair to waste time. There was no 'safe' outfit. At least he wasn't in excessive makeup...

But hey, at least he made a good impression. Because he knew he looked stunning.

"Oh, I'm Revali Gale." He introduced, sticking out a stiff hand to shake. "Your new roommate."

Link seemed to force a smile, then shook his hand. Weak handshake, Revali thought absently. He has rough hands - he had expected them to be far softer than his own, but there was a possibility he had done some physical work, at some point.

"Link Wilde." He spelled out- and Revali was glad for the countless hours he put into his ASL studies. 

"Should I sign as well?" Revali signed, cursing himself for being so rusty in his own signing.

Link smiled a little. "At this point, I don't care; I can hear just fine."

Revali nodded, and moved to step around him.

"Oh, I already took that side, as you can see." He commented, looking down at Link's bags, still piled next to him; he must have just gotten here.

Link nodded. "I noticed. Where are you from?"

"Tabantha." He answered without thinking. "Alaska. I'm from Tabantha, Alaska."

Link's eyes grew wide, and Revali raised a single finger to stop him.

"Yes, I live in a house. With electricity." He didn't mention it was a generator, but still. "Not an igloo. We don't have TV, but that was a choice."

Link blinked twice. "I was going to ask about indoor plumbing, but it seems like you get those questions a lot."

Revali rolled his eyes. "Yeah, those are fairly typical."

"But do you?" Link asked.

"Do I what?" 

"Have indoor plumbing?" Link asked with a grin."

"...Yes." Revali said through gritted teeth, shutting the door behind him. "Where are you from?"

Link shrugged. "Local."

Figured. "Cool - I cleaned the bathroom, vacuumed, and generally made the place a little cleaner - so it's decent in here."

Link nodded. "Thanks?"

"What's the question for?" Revali frowned.

"Was it dirty when you got here?" Link asked, a confused look on his face.

"Well, at least that means I did a good job," Revali thought aloud. "Yes. It was."

"Sorry." Link signed, then hefted one of his bags onto the bed. 

Revali decided to leave him to it, going to his own side. The whole room seemed smaller now, but that would be fine. He slung off his backpack and set it down on the bed, sitting down next to it.

"-weird this was so short notice, right?" Link signed, though Revali missed the beginning. "And that the South dorm was like, burned."

He nodded. "Indeed."

Link seemed to take that as an indication to shut up, and went on setting up his half of the room. He stripped the bed and put blue sheets on it (Revali would have to remember to get sheets, or to look to find sheets on sale, really.), flopped down his matching pillow, and spread out a blanket from a show he didn't recognize. Some cartoon, at any rate; the whole effect was that the bed looked like it belonged to a child. 

And honestly? It was pretty damn cute. Revali was having a hard time trying to get himself to hate it.

He seemed to look at his suitcase, then the closet, and settled for just setting the suitcase so it was leaning against it. Animal; didn't he know everything he owned would wrinkle? He lugged his backpack back onto the bed, and put a few things onto the desk. A hairbrush, a notebook, a large pencil pouch, his phone charger- it seemed like there was no order to any of it whatsoever.

Trying to stop paying attention to him, Revali unloaded the contents of his own backpack. He had only allowed himself to get three books, considering the fact that he needed to be doing other things that week. Sense and Sensibility, among others. He dreaded rereading The Scarlet Letter, but his literature class required it, so he seemed to have no choice.

Kind of an odd thing for a college class to require, since he had to read it in high school, but that would just put him at an advantage, so... Revali wasn't complaining. He could just get done with it as quickly as possible.

Revali took another glance over at Link. Hopefully, this semester wouldn't just be trying to get done with him.

***

(Link)

(Link): Zel he's hotter in real life

(Zelda): omg is he??

(Link): yea he's really cute

(Link): I might just die

(Zelda): Well don't 

(Link): no shit

(Zelda): need any help moving in?

(Link): nah... could you come with me to find all my classes?

(Zelda): Sounds great, I need to do that too

Link shoved his phone into his hoodie pocket, then glanced up at Revali. "I'm, uh, gonna go find all of my classrooms."

"Great." He smiled, but it was a cold, stiff motion. "Have fun."

And Link left, wondering what the year could have for them... And if he was going to make it. Because honestly? With a roommate that hot? He wasn't so sure. 

At least he had Zelda on his side.

A whole year, though. The start of four years...

Link swallowed. He wasn't going to think about that right now; he was just going to go find his classes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Also, someone from Alaska here, we're all tired of those questions. Please. Stop.


	4. Four

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's the first day of classes, and things are going pretty well for Revali - until they aren't. And now, well... At least he won't have to deal with this next semester?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Everyone knows ASL for convenience because I have no time for that!

September 3

(Revali)

The first day of classes was simple enough for Revali: his math class, Statistics, was at 8:30 in the Gaepora Building, and his English at 10:00 a short jog away in the C. Just two classes. That would be fine, right? 

Math class passed without any large problems - haha. Revali almost chuckled at that pun, but kept it to himself. The time of day wasn't an issue either; he had always been a morning person... Out of necessity, but regardless. He had maintained that, too, over the course of the week since he got here. And besides; the real deal was at 10:00.

English. Revali loved it. He really did, but he could easily tell when a teacher hated it. Mr. Hyrule didn't hate English, he determined: he just hated his students. The first droning minutes were spent explaining the abysmal syllabus, which Revali had read close to five times over the past week understanding less information each time, and telling them to not expect things to be easy. He would not be lenient with tardiness or absences, and he didn't expect all of them to pass the class.

Revali nearly rolled his eyes. His other professors hadn't been like this so far, based on syllabi - only him. Could this class get any worse?

Mr. Hyrule cleared his throat. "Though, I do hold the belief that you should have enough time to finish your work. At the end of the semester you will have a project due on a specific time period of American authors. I will be splitting the class up accordingly, so that each person has the responsibility of one book by one author. Each time period group..."

This was a group project? Revali had thought that too soon. It had indeed gotten far worse. And this was a project meant for a literature class, not English. 

"What the hell?" He scribbled down in the margin of his notes, next to the description of the project.

"...will be given the task of coming up with a true theme of the literature from that time period. Each presentation, will be say... At the very least ten minutes, at the most sixteen, partly based on the number of students in the group. Each group will have a class period and the time will be spilt up among your group accordingly. Any questions?"

Revali didn't have any questions, other than the already established: "What the hell?" so he kept quiet. The rest of the class seemed to share the same sentiment, instead trading bewildered looks with each other.

"Alright! Let's get going then." His beady eyes glistened. "For the sake of time, everyone write their names on a slip of paper, pass these around, then put it in this hat-" he tapped the upside-down top hat everyone had been staring at instead of listening. "-that way it'll be fair. Quickly now!" 

Random didn't mean fair, Revali wanted to point out, but he didn't bother. Instead he wrote his name quickly, and dropped his name into the hat. It made him feel childish and stupid, but what had to be done for the class had to be done.

Also, shouldn't he have already had all of their names?

Regardless, the names were quickly collected, at which point Mr. Hyrule stuck his grubby hand - Revali knew he was just butchering it with the adjectives - into the top hat. He fumbled around with it for a bit.

"1750's!" He called out, then listed a few names as he pulled them. 

Wordlessly, the groups began to form. Each group of students seemed more annoyed to be together than the last.

"Transitional period: 1925-1975!" He called. "Link, Ur-boss-a, Dar-ruck? Zelda, Miff-a, and..."

Revali knew that was his before the name was even called. Teachers, especially old ones, seemed to love seeing just how wrong they could pronounce his name.

"Ree-vale-y?"

He cringed. He would have to mention that after class - probably with the hoard of other kids whose names he mispronounced. But it was the principle of the thing, and he couldn't just let him keep making mistakes like that.

Silently seething, he gathered his things and made his way over to where Link was standing and sized up the group. Well, he had already met a couple of them.

Urbosa, who he had met her earlier in the dorms, was very tall, and the high heels certainly added to that. She was a bottle redhead, and seemed to have an affinity for fake gold jewelry. At least, he was pretty sure it was fake. If it wasn't, she was filthy rich. Her clothes were nice, and her makeup skillfully done. He had to learn what lipstick she was wearing - the color was everything.

Zelda was Urbosa's roommate, right? Yeah. Her long blonde hair was middle parted, pulled away from her round face with bright blue hair clips. She wore minimal makeup, if any, her strong brows pulled into a tight scowl over her dark green eyes. Today she was wearing a simple white romper, jean jacket, and strappy sandals.

The other girl was yet another bottle redhead, with at least seventeen pins, clips, bands, and other assorted silvery jewelry in her braids. She had a round, pretty face, very dark skin, and a scattering of silver piercings in her ears, eyebrows, and a little stud in her nose. Her clothing contrasted that kind of punk feeling: a simple white cold shoulder long sleeve, (Revali thought he had the same one - Target) a black skirt, and cute red Mary Jane pumps. Her socks had lace trim.

He liked her - right off the bat her style was good. He could tell it was intentional. She put purpose into it.

Daruk (at least, he assumed it was Daruk), the last one other than Link, probably was a little taller than Revali... When he wasn't wearing heels. As is, they were around the same; but certainly not the same size. He was strongly built, with the kind of massive forearms and biceps that come from hard work. A shock of bleached white hair stuck out from nearly all directions, only matched by his wild beard. He wore an unremarkable brown tank top, tan cargo shorts, and flip flops.

Link looked like he always did: short, chubby, and altogether too cute to exist in his cartoon bunny hoodie and bright yellow converse. Revali forced himself to look away from him.

"Well! This sucks." Daruk whispered loudly. 

Everyone nodded, then turned back to glance at Mr. Hyrule.

"We're done for today." He announced. "I recommend you spend this time getting to know your groups - I'll assign your authors on Wednesday."

He waved them off rudely.

Revali turned back to the group for a moment, memorized their faces, then made his way over to Mr. Hyrule. 

"Excuse me." 

He looked up from his paper- a copy of the syllabus. "Yes? I don't know your name. What is it?"

He asked every question like a command. Revali pursed his lips.

"It actually is about my name, it's Revali, like the beginning of 'Revelation' with 'vali' as in Volley ball." He explained, Mr. Hyrule nodding.

He removed his glasses, wiping them on a cloth. "Thank you for correcting my pronunciation then, young man- young lady-"

His discomfort was palpable. The tension could have been plucked like a string.

"Young person is fine." Revali corrected, bracing himself.

"Yes, quite. I do recommend you get a good start on that presentation. Good day, Rev-Vali." He went back his paper after a careful pronunciation of his name.

Relieved that didn't go worse, Revali re-joined the group.

"So..." Zelda started. "You're, Ree-vale-"

"Revali." He cut her off, offering his hand for a handshake.

She took it - and with a firm handshake; he appreciated that. A golden locket hung around her neck, triangular. Strange.

"And you're Zelda; Urbosa told me when I borrowed the vacuum." He guessed.

"Ah, that makes sense."

The bottle redhead with the kickass piercings smiled. "And I'm Mipha."

Pronounced Me-fa. He made a mental note of that. Her voice, like her clothing, was softer than one would think for all the piercings. She and Zelda were close to the same height, with Zelda just slightly taller than Mipha. Regardless, they were certainly taller than Link and shorter than Revali.

"And you know I'm Urbosa." 

She offered the first hand to shake - good and strong. Her hands were dry, but warm. On second thought, Revali thought to himself, that shade of lipstick might not look good on him. Either way, she was pulling it off incredibly; an interesting shade of bright blue.

"Daruk." He shook hands with Urbosa first once they were done, then Revali - very firm grip. "Not Dar ruck or whatever the hell he called me."

Da-roo-k. Another mental note.

"Well! This sucks." Daruk announced, louder this time.

He got many murmurs of agreement. 

"Early 1900's? That's is the turn of the century... It's most likely about change. At the very least, we can be glad we didn't get Hemingway." Mipha simplified. "This could be worse."

"Could be better - no group project at all." Link signed.

"Could certainly be better." Revali snorted. "This is a literature project - not even English... And Hemingway did write during this period."

"Shh, don't jinx us." Link signed urgently.

"Could be worse." Urbosa nodded, shrugging a little bit. "Could be better. That's just how life is."

Zelda nodded in agreement. 

"Wait - everyone knows ASL?" Link asked.

Everyone nodded, and he sighed in relief. "Awesome."

"Oh! We should exchange numbers, so we can keep in contact with each other." Mipha suggested. "Here, just pass around phones?" 

She handed her phone to Zelda, who handed her phone to Revali. White marbled pattern case, with a gold pop socket. A little simple, but from the look of it minimalism might just be her thing. That made her especially adorable next to Mipha, though, whose eclectic assortment of jewelry worked so well despite being a little cluttered in a couple places.

They were just really cute next to each other, to be honest. 

He put in his number, then passed the phone to Daruk and took Mipha's.

She had a teal, mermaid scale patterned case, with a white pop socket. On the pop socket, in rainbow lettering, were the words "Love is love."

He knew he liked Mipha.

Link's he had seen before: blue case with a yellow smiley face pop socket. Matched practically everything else he owned: blue and yellow, slightly cartoony, a little funny, adorable.

Urbosa's was a heavy duty case with a simple pink and orange gradient. It could be the lesbian flag - or one of them - but... The odds that it wasn't were still there.

Daruk's case was a solid black heavy duty protective case. No frills, nothing interesting other than the rough scratches on the back. His case was definitely more likely because he needed one so his phone wouldn't get broken.

Finally, Revali received his own case back: solid black, silver geometric pattern. No pop socket, just the worn out case. He wondered what it said about him, other than that he had an old phone, went through a goth phase, and didn't really know what was trendy at the moment.

"So." Daruk started.

Zelda fiddled with a bit of her hair. "So..."

"I mean, we can't really work on this project yet." Urbosa pointed out.

Revali scoffed. "We can't really work on this project until we've read the books."

"We could get an idea of what was going on at the time, though." Zelda offered. "Any history majors?"

No one raised their hands.

"Anyone know anything about that time period?" She added.

"Know anything, yeah." Urbosa stated. "Know anything relevant to this project? Less likely."

"Same boat." Daruk agreed. "But in the meantime, I mean, we can definitely get to know each other."

Everyone agreed, but people were already starting to file out of the classroom. And as cool as some of the members of this group seemed... Revali had the last couple chapters of Sense and Sensibility he wanted to finish before heading back to the library, where he could pick out some books from that time period to try to get a jump on the project. It might not actually work out that way, but...

He checked the time. 

"Oh, I have to go." He lied, hoping it was convincing. "We'll meet about the project soon, I'm sure."

Mipha waved goodbye, and he was out the door in a heartbeat.

All in all, not bad for a first day. He met two new people - three if you counted Zelda as new - and got all of their numbers. That had to count for something.

All of this socializing, though? Exhausting. Right now, all he wanted was a book and some coffee from the commons room.

First day down, more to go.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How many of you have ways you have to tell people how to spell/pronounce your name? I, personally, get that with my last name. It's like two boys names, that's what I always say, along with the names, but... We're on the Internet, y'all.


	5. Five

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The group project gets to know each other a little better - with the exception of Revali - and Link does some Instagram stalking.

September 3

(Link) 

"What's with him?" Zelda asked, sitting herself on a desk.

Link shrugged. "He's my ultra hot roommate."

"Well, I'm sorry for you, even if he's hot." She crossed her legs. "Does he always do that? Just... Show up, introduce himself, say nothing positive, and leave?"

He shrugged again. "Nah, he's just kinda... Quiet."

"Hmm," Daruk yawned. "He didn't seem that bad. What's his major?"

"Don't know." Link admitted, feeling more than a little stupid. "We never talked about it."

"Was that because of him or you?" Zelda leaned over to jab him in the ribs.

Link jumped back with a squeak. "Hey! But... Kinda both? He never seems to want to talk. All he does is read."

"Ah, so a bookworm kind of frigid." Daruk nodded firmly. "Makes sense? I mean, he seemed put together. Who knows, maybe he's an English Major?"

Link snickered at the use of the word 'frigid.' "Well, he is from Alaska, so it would make sense if he was a bit frigid."

Zelda rolled her eyes. "Okay, okay. You're not the most talkative either."

"Ha ha." Link crossed his arms. "Not my fault."

"Has anyone made the group chat yet?" Urbosa, who seemed like someone who would stay on topic like that, reminded. "If not, I can make one."

Daruk nodded. "Good idea... Urbosa?"

"Yes."

"Sorry, I'm bad with names." Daruk rubbed the back of his neck.

Link hadn't instantly disliked any of them, but he had definitely felt drawn to Daruk from the start. He seemed like a good friend; something about the shine in his dark blue eyes, or how fun the bleached white hair was. It helped that neither of them were dressed up: Daruk in his cargo shorts and green faded tank top, Link in his joggers and big blue hoodie.

The others were intimidating, but not bad. It helped that he knew Zelda so well, but if he didn't? She would have been terrifying along with the rest of them. 

He just didn't belong in this college crowd.

"Done." Urbosa set her phone down on a desk. "So, what are everyone's majors?"

Link cringed.

Urbosa shrugged. "I, for one, am going into electrical engineering - minor in women's studies."

"Paleontology." Daruk grinned, gesturing to his shirt.

Now that he was looking at it closer, Link saw that it had a faded Jurassic Park design on it. He couldn't help but smile.

"Zoology, hoping to get into marine wildlife conservation." Mipha said in a small voice, contrasting her bold look.

Her smile was soft - nice. Link liked that. When he first saw her she scared him a little bit, he had to admit.

Zelda took a glance over at her father, Mr. Hyrule, then whispered. "Mechanical Engineering."

He offered her a little smile.

"My father-" she pointed at him with her chin. "-didn't even want me to go to college. He thought that I should work in our church."

"Ohh." Urbosa glared at him.

"Is that why the group project is such bullshit?" Daruk grinned, complete with finger guns.

Zelda laughed. "Perhaps. Anyway, we can't do much on the project right now, other than general studying of the mid-1900's."

"True." Urbosa took a deep breath. "Maybe we should meet up after class next Wednesday, once we get our book assignments - what are your schedules like?"

Daruk shrugged. "I'm free until three-ish on Wednesday."

"My physics professor's office hours on Wednesday are two to five, but that should be fine." Zelda nodded, counting the hours on her fingers.

"I'm good." Mipha squeaked.

"Same." Link signed, a pit of dread in his stomach. "The only one we have to check with..."

Zelda groaned, rolling her eyes. "I'll text the group chat. See you all then?"

Link nodded. "See ya."

***

The trip between the dorms and Building C was short enough that Link had decided to walk instead of taking his car that morning. Besides, it was nice out; the little bit of rain at the beginning of the week quickly cleared up, and a little bit of wind had taken it's place.   
The landscape was nothing like he was used to, despite still being in-state. Here, out east, it was just... Dry. The bit of rain had probably been a relief, all things considered- and the lack of strong winds, too. 

If they had the rains a little earlier, maybe the other dorm wouldn't have burned down and Revali wouldn't be so mad at him.

He wasn't mad, probably. It was just...

He sighed, kicking at a rock. The whole thing was... An adjustment. For all of them, not just him and Revali. He knew Zelda was going through the same thing, too. To some degree, anyway. It was hard going from somewhere bright, and full of life to somewhere so...

Link glanced up from the ground to get his bearings, hefting his backpack into a better position. If he could just figure something out for his back pain... Oh well. He was by the right dorms, right? No, this building looked too new. Which side was he in again? North. It was definitely North, because he was supposed to be in East. Yeah.   
Taking a step back, he looked up at the building. West, it said; and he had to get to North. Directions had never been his strong suit, and that seemed to have followed him here, too. He didn't expect it any different, but still. Part of him had always hoped... Never mind.

Hoping the instinct in his gut was right, Link set out to the left. That had to be right, right? He tried to picture a map of the US, got too confused, and just decided to keep walking.

What was with Revali, though? Was he mad because of the dorm fire situation?

Over the past week they had barely spoken, at all. He always looked so stern: his perfect eyebrows were always furrowed, his nose stuck in a book. Link didn't mind, to some degree. He'd rather have a roommate who kept to himself than one who actively hated him, or worse, was a bigot.   
Link was pretty obviously not Cis, after all. He was short, curvy, with delicate features and a soft face. Revali's relationship to gender had certainly come with a bit of relief. Absently, he wondered if he knew about any LGBT+ groups on campus. 

But, then again, he wanted to join that photography group, and he really didn't want to get overwhelmed...

Link yawned, coming up on the dorm building. There it was: a little crumbly, but kind of cute with a stretch of the imagination. He had tried his very best to make it seem a little nicer.

Still, it was odd sharing it with Revali. Everything he owned seemed to be black or dark colored otherwise - barely anything showed any personality. The only things he had intrigued Link: the books on the desk, and the picture of his family. Those were the things that really made him question something deeper about him; along with Revali himself, that is. Something about him...

Link shuddered, suddenly a bit cold. Revali was an interesting character, as his grandpa would put it. He wondered if he could find him on social media, beyond his initial searches, or something like that. What was his last name again?

Gate?

Groaning, Link started up the stairs. The elevator would be fixed soon, he knew that; but it was hard not to feel like complaining as he worked up to the third floor. He would have to talk to Revali - he knew sign, after all. He had no excuse. He didn't even know the guys major, for fucks sake.  
Turning the key just right in the knob (it wouldn't unlock the door unless it was pushed in just so) Link opened the door. The lights were on, had he-

There in the corner of his bed, headphones on, curled up around a book like he had seen him so often in the past week, was Revali. Squinting to read the cover, Link made out that the book was Sense and Se- presumably Sensibility; he had seen it on his desk earlier, a little library sticker covering the bottom part of the book.

As quietly as he could, Link shut the door behind him. Resisting the urge to tiptoe, he crept onto his bed and sat down. He checked his phone for the time: about eleven thirty. Sitting back, he got out his phone and opened Instagram.

Searching him was easy enough- who else on this earth could be named Revali? Either way, it was convenient. The one result was quick to give an answer. 

Revali Gale  
"Shoot all the bluejays you want, if you can hit 'em, but remember it's a sin to kill a mockingbird." - Harper Lee

Link frowned at that a little, trying to think about what that quote might mean to one person. What did it even - oh. Now he felt like an idiot. It was obviously from To Kill a Mockingbird. Maybe he just liked the book - he had a copy, after all. 

That didn't matter too much, anyway. His profile picture was a picture of him, in profile, holding a bow. Archery? That was surprising. He was dressed a little more practically in the photo, in a pair of sturdy high-waisted jeans and a tee shirt. His wispy, deep blue hair was pulled back in a french braid. The bow itself had a little blue ribbon tied around the curve.

It was a nice picture, Link thought to himself, but would be more striking with a better backlight. Revali's silhouette was incredibly compelling - a photo of that type would be really interesting. Even the objectively 'badly done' profile photo was beautiful.

Then again, it helped that the subject was stunning.

Shaking his head, Link went back to scrolling. He didn't appear to post much; most of the pictures were landscapes. He couldn't blame that, though - the scenery truly was incredible. Alaska... He would have to go there, when he could. Probably never, but add that to the bucket list. A few selfies were scattered in, but they all seemed... Different. Looking at them, Link realized what had been so shocking about the profile photo: he was wearing minimal makeup. Scrolling back up, he looked again.  
That was right; there was stuff on his face (Link assumed, at least - his skin looked flawless), mascara, and that seemed to be it.

Strange. It was the same in most of the other photos.

Lower down, the farther Link scrolled the more selfies he found. The years counted back at an alarming rate, until he was a freshman in high school.

"Moving again - hate this life."

"Nothing like not fitting where everyone tells you to."

"Low key want to die...."

All of the captions seemed to be things of that type, or quotes, or music lyrics, on high angled seriously edited selfies. The editing all had the same goals: paler skin, higher contrast, striking eyes. Link had been captivated by Revali's electric green eyes from the start, and it appeared that was a feature he was proud of. 

As Revali was sitting on the other side of the (small) dorm room, Link refrained from laughing. It really was mean, and he felt ashamed for thinking of it. The further back he went, the worse and worse the makeup got. It was a little sad, honestly. The amount of makeup seemed to grow exponentially on his face.

Glancing up from his phone, Link looked over at Revali now. Perfect skin with an almost coppery highlight, sharp winged eyeliner, dark matte lip. He had certainly improved, that was for sure. It helped that he was ridiculously attractive in the first place-

Link mentally slapped himself for that thought. This was his roommate, and he couldn't afford to... Have feelings, for him. Still, that was a face he'd love to photograph, with or without makeup.  
The rest of the Instagram wasn't very telling; mostly just old selfies and more archery updates. He was, apparently, very good, and had been for a long time.

Link glanced up at Revali again, absorbed in his book. There was something very... Serene, about him. The relaxed poise of his shoulders, the attentive but resting face, something about the positioning of his flawless legs - if it wasn't creepy, he'd snap a photo. If it was Zelda, he would. They did little 'impromptu photoshoots' all the time.

He satisfied himself just looking, and remembering just how hopeless he was.

(Link): I think his major is looking effortlessly flawless

(Zelda): you're an asshole 

(Link): nope, just dying

(Zelda): Need someone to resurrect you?

(Link): Can you do that?

(Zelda): maybe?

(Link): try your best, let's go

(Zelda): my dorm?

(Link): hell yeah


	6. Six

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The group project meets again, and tries to get to know each other a little bit better, while Revali tries to work on the project... And ignore his growing crush on Link.

September 5

(Revali)

"Alright now that we have reached the end of our class time for today, I am sure that you are all quite eager to hear your book assignments. I have already compiled lists and made one for each member of the group. They will be down here on my desk. Class dismissed." With that Mr. Hyrule sat down, pulled his wire rimmed glasses further down his nose, and watched as the classroom dissolved to chaos.

He must hate trees, Revali thought to himself. With the amount of paper he's used already, I have no good feelings about the future.

Having already gathered his things, Revali stood up slowly. He was in no way enthusiastic about picking up his copy of the list, but supposed it had to be done. With the students already making their way down there, though... He could wait. There was no reason to get undignified about it.

"And besides," He wondered aloud, once he actually did decide to go down to grab a copy. "Maybe I've already read my book on the list... Or all of them."

Reluctantly, once the majority of the students had gotten their copies and left, Revali made his way down to the desk.

Group H: 1925-1975

The Great Gatsby - F. Scott Fitzgerald: Revali

Gone with the Wind - Margaret Mitchell: Daruk

Their Eyes were Watching God - Zora Neale Hurston: Mipha

For Whom the Bell Tolls - Ernest Hemingway: Zelda

A Streetcar named Desire - Tennessee Williams: Urbosa

To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee: Link

"It could be worse," Revali decided. 

He had read The Great Gatsby back in his freshman year of high school, and couldn't remember it being too bad. Still, a part of him was jealous that he hadn't gotten To Kill a Mockingbird. He already owned that book - he had just finished reading the last week.

"Such is life." He frowned at the piece of paper, as if that made a difference, and slid it into his binder.

Everyone else in their group seemed to have joined together in one side of the classroom, by a definitely fake potted plant. They were looking over list, with various responses. Urbosa raised a single eyebrow, frowned eerily similar to how he did, then tucked away the paper. Link shrugged, like he always did. Mipha frowned thoughtfully. Daruk groaned loudly, clearly not amused.

Zelda crinkled the paper in her tight grip, glaring daggers at her father. Hemingway seemed to bring that reaction out of people, Revali figured. He was an awful bore. He couldn't blame her one bit.

But he supposed they would have to talk about it... Even though he would much rather just, you know, read the book first.

"So," He cleared his throat. "Thoughts?"

Link coughed. "What did you call me?"

Revali glared. "I didn't- oh. I see what you did there."

Grinning, he started folding his paper into a paper airplane.

"But seriously, we should talk about this... Or start reading. Either way, I'm good."

Urbosa glanced over at Daruk, who shrugged. "Alright then. Let's get started."

***

They're laughing at me. 

Revali knew it as soon as he entered the dorm, having been the one to go and get the books from the library, being that he wanted to. Of course, that made it so that any late fees would be charged to him - but he would know which book it was on and which person to blame for it, in that case. Sure, it would have made more sense to all check out their own books, but... He really didn't want to drag all of them to the library.

That was his space, and if he could go there to escape the noise? Wonderful.

Either way, whether they were punctual with returning their books or not, the group of other freshman were here. In his dorm. So that was clearly not his space at the moment. They barely halted from their conversation when he walked in, casting him awkward side eyes. 

Trying to keep in mind Mipha's 'love is love' pop socket as a reassurance, he stood up straight, but the look on even her face seemed less than pleased. They all sat in a... Circle, in the loosest way possible, with Daruk and Urbosa on his bed, Mipha on the floor closer to the door, Zelda on Link's bed, and Link on the floor closer to the window.

"All of them were available." Revali announced, slinging off his backpack.

Reaching into it, he sorted who was who. "For whom the Bell Tolls for poor unfortunate Zelda, Streetcar named Desire - Urbosa..."

The books were quickly handed out, much to Zelda's annoyance, who glared at the cover of hers as if it would make it anything but Hemingway. He doubted that would work, but internally wished her luck.

"C'mon, sit down." Daruk said, as if this was his own dorm and not Revali's. "I don't think we should do too much on the project itself today, I mean, we haven't even read the books yet."

As if he himself hadn't said the same thing a couple days ago, and he didn't think this was a waste of time, but Revali kept that to himself.

Sitting Link's bed next to Zelda, Revali nodded in agreement along with everyone else. Daruk's tendency to take charge was a little annoying, but it suited him well; Revali did not want to trade places. Risking the already tense reaction to him already? Yeah, no.

"And I brought snacks!" He announced. "Pass the Cheetos, Link." 

Link shrugged innocently, then offered them to Revali, who passed them quickly. Some things were worth being sick (lactose intolerance - a real annoyance) and some were not. Cheetos were fairly low on the list, and were easily turned down.

"So... Do I really need to do like, an icebreaker? Should we have to go around the circle and say an interesting fact about ourselves?" Daruk seemed surprised when most of them nodded. "Okay then!"

Revali was surprised too - he wanted anything, anything but that. Already he had to prepare his words.

"I'll start-" Daruk decided. "I'm Daruk, I'm from Nevada, and... I'm afraid of dogs."

Revali raised his eyebrows, but said nothing to that. Still, it seemed like an odd trait for him to have.

"I'm Urbosa, I'm from New Mexico, and I've been doing fencing since I was eight."

"I'm Mipha, from Maine, and my brother is six foot eight."

Revali had to stop himself from choking at the thought. That was far too tall for any human being, in his opinion.

With a start, he realized it was his turn. "Revali, Alaska, I was State Archery Champion four years in a row."

No one seemed surprised by 'Alaska', but a couple eyebrows crept up at 'archery.'

"Zelda, I live in western Wyoming in the summer, Colorado the rest of the year. I... Am a lesbian."

Revali made a note of that.

Link scoffed. "That's not an interesting fact about you."

Zelda rolled her eyes. "Fine then- I was born in London."

So that's where the little bit of accent was from. Interesting.

Seeming content to have teased her a little, Link kept the little smile on his face. "We already introduced ourselves - I'm Link, from western Wyoming, and... I told Mr. Hyrule to go fuck himself once."

Daruk choked loudly. "I gotta know why."

Link was barely containing laughter. "He's Zelda - my wonderful and best friend's - awful dad. So, the day before I left, I went over and told him to go fuck himself."

"And?"

"Next thing I know, I'm in his class." Link shrugged. "Oh well, he hated me before that, too."

"OK." Daruk nodded. "So..." 

A complete standstill, the most awkward kind. Revali was glad, in a way, that most of them were sitting towards Link's bed. That way, less attention would be paid to his side of the room. Less comforting, however, was the sight of Mipha and Zelda looking over as if combing it through.

"Well, I think I've read all of these." Revali stated with a shrug. "Though it's been a while for a couple, and I really skimmed A Streetcar Named Desire."

Link slumped. "Thanks for reminding us about the project."

Blinking twice, Revali tried to think that through. "That is why we're here... isn't it?"

Link raised an eyebrow, as if to say, 'listen to this guy.'

"Plus," Revali added, trying to maintain his dignity. "You got a good one: To Kill a Mockingbird. I... It's a personal favorite."

Link shrugged. "Maybe. I didn't really get it in high school... At least, the way my teachers tried to teach it."

It was Zelda's turn to scoff. "You didn't read it in high school; you told me that yourself."

Link flushed bright red, and said nothing more on the topic.

"So... More convinced than ever that my father hates me, I've already resigned myself to the evils of this project." Zelda declared, sliding off her sandals and tucking her feet up into criss-cross-applesauce.

"Sounds about right," Urbosa agreed. "Though, over an entire semester it shouldn't be too bad; especially if we can keep meeting up like this."

Revali nodded. "That would work, most likely. Of course, if someone wants to host in their own dorm that would be fine by me. And it doesn't really need to be every week."

Link raised an eyebrow at him, but other than that no one really seemed to pay attention.

Most of the 'studying' time was like that, actually. After a while Revali took out The Great Gatsby and began to read. He had never noticed before how the dedication was "Once again to Zelda," but it was interesting now, knowing someone of that name. 

She laughed now, at something that someone else said. Mipha discreetly covered her mouth... And most of her face, for that matter. They would make a cute couple, he decided once again, and went back to reading.

***

September 7

(Link)

"No, no - I had it all wrong." With a clenched fist, Revali groaned in despair. "The whole theme I had initially is wrong, I'm sure. It's not just about change, that's what he's baiting us with by making it a 'transitional' time period."

It had been a couple hours since he had gotten back from dinner, and Link, having nothing better to do, had been reading his book: To Kill a Mockingbird. That meant he and Revali were left alone in the dorm, working roughly on the same thing... Well, Revali worked a lot faster than him. This book was already reminding him of why he didn't read it in high school.

He swallowed. "Then what is the theme?"

Revali took a deep breath, looking back and forth across the room. "Contrast."

"What?"

"It's contrast, isn't it obvious? To Kill a Mockingbird, it's the contrast of what is right and how things have always been done. That kind of contrast follows Scout years into the future - directly in Go set a Watchman, with the further issues there in her adulthood. The Great Gatsby has one of the same perils; you can see what is right but all of the characters are so ensnared in wrong that it's all just a mess! The Grapes of Wrath-"

He took a deep breath, scribbling something down in his notes.

"It's a call for change, contrasting the views of common life with the outcries of farmers living in unsuitable conditions. It's about change and the greater contrast between good and evil in our everyday lives." 

Seeing to be done, Revali started frantically rearranging his notes. "How far are you in TKMB?"

Link shrugged. "They're playing around with Boo Radley."

Revali's shoulders slumped. "Okay- just keep working on it... With sticky notes?"

Link's head spun. "What would I need-"

"Mark things you think are important; internal conflict. Conflict: that's the theme." He jotted down that as well. "But... Wait... That's all books. Keep with change. It's still change. I'm just... Never mind."

Link couldn't help but smile, looking at him like that. Sure, it hasn't been very long since they were just giving each other the silent treatment - hell, Link still didn't know very much about him, but it was still nice. There he was, flitting around like a bird from thing to thing, his hair floating out from his messy bun and resting against his shoulders and neck... His thin tank top hung off his shoulders like it would slip any second, and he was just wearing leggings instead of the dressy skirts he seemed to prefer. It was a nice... Contrast. Link smirked at that. Even if that wasn't what he was going with.

"Revali?" Link signed, before realizing that he did not have Revali's attention.

Link tapped on his desk a couple of times. "Revali?"

He raised his head. "Yeah?"

"What's your major?" He asked, and Revali's eyes furrowed. 

"Did we really never talk about this?" He tucked a few wispy strands of hair behind his ear. "I'm a Creative Writing Major."

Link nodded. "That makes sense. You like reading a lot."

Revali smiled - a rare, genuine looking one. Link couldn't help but blush a little bit.

"What about you?"

Link froze, having forgotten about the backside of having asked that question. 

"Undeclared?" Revali guessed.

Link nodded. "Can't figure it out. My grandpa wanted me to go to college, so... Here I am."

"Well, what do you like doing?" Revali asked, still writing.

Link shrugged again. "I... I don't know."

He frowned, still not looking at the page. "I mean, your photos are beautiful."

His photos. Link blushed again, sure he was red up to his ears. Yeah, he liked taking pictures, but there were only two places those ended up: Instagram, and the shoebox of Polaroids currently tucked under his bed.

"Oh, I guess I stalked your Instagram." Revali admitted with a shrug. 

Link nodded. "That's okay, I stalked yours, too."

Revali paled. "I haven't posted anything there since-"

The pictures of Revali, a little too revealed, his makeup too heavy. Link had laughed at them a little then, thought they made him seem more... Human, but now? He could certainly see the full embarrassment.

"It's okay!" Link interrupted. "I forgive everyone's young selves."

"What a relief." He rolled his eyes. "Yours didn't have anything nearly that old."

Link shrugged again, finding himself annoyed that was the only thing he ever did. "I delete old stuff, usually. I'm coming up to when I might delete a bunch of what's on there now."

"Not the picture of Zelda in the lake." Revali blurted, then covered his mouth.

Link froze, trying to think of the picture. No, it as clear in his mind. Zelda and him had gone on a hike - out where the land seemed rough and beautiful and undiscovered, but not far enough to encounter the National Parks people who yelled at them for not paying. They had found a perfect little lake - cliffs surrounding it on three sides, plant life abundant - just as the sun set. She had that little white dress with her from church that morning, and changed into it behind some bushes.

Link was sure he'd never hear the end of that from her. Stripping down to nearly nude in the middle of the woods was apparently not fun.

But the picture was worth it; the sun had turned her to gold. The lake water had seemed impossibly clear, the lily pads parting before her. 

Shaking himself out of the thoughts, Link met his eyes. "You liked that picture?"

It was Revali's turn to blush - hard spots on his cheeks flushing dark. "I was, uh, good... Inspiration. She's like... A goddess of old. Or a priestess of some kind. It just... Uh... Caught my attention, I guess."

Link smiled, blushing. "That's a really good description - I suck at captioning."

"I noticed."

Link laughed at that, how deadpan Revali's voice was. Really, he knew it was true.

"Well, we can't all be brilliant writers." Link teased.

"I'm - thank you." Revali said with a nod, scribbling something down. "I like to think I'm a good writer, and I believe I am."

Link shrugged. "I've never read anything of yours."

"Well, ask me sometime - I'm sure I have a short story or something I could send you." 

He seemed to be getting more and more caught up in the writing process. Link could see a bullet pointed list - far more organizational than he ever got.

"Yeah, I'll have to do that."

Revali smiled as a response, but said nothing more.

Link hoped he couldn't hear the pounding in his chest, or see how flushed his face was. Revali, of all people, liked his photography. With a smile he settled back onto his bed, grabbing To Kill a Mockingbird.

"Get some rest eventually." Link reminded.

Revali shrugged him off, and continued to work.

Rolling his eyes, Link began to read.

His frigid roommate liked his photography. So maybe there was more to him than met the eye.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The, uh, "So, thoughts?" Being mustaken for "So, thots?" Has, in fact, happened to me before. So, fun...


	7. Seven

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Crushes are the worst. So, in an effort to avoid his, Revali goes out to the library... And makes a new friend.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Seven chapters in already? Also, happy last day of September, wish me luck on my auditions tonight!

September 7

(Revali)

Revali sighed, working his comb through a particularly ornery section of his hair. This whole thing, the group project, the friend situation, living here, his stupid little crush on Link... It was getting a little out of hand. He needed to take a step back and reevaluate where he was. 

The group project would be fine; or at least, he thought it would. His book, The Great Gatsby, was something he was very familiar with. But still, there was something about it... Even though Revali had already read most of the books and determined the theme (a change in morality), there was something chilling about rereading The Great Gatsby.

"Maybe it's the emphasis on-"

Revali stopped himself from finishing the sentence. Even though Link had already fallen asleep, even though he was alone, he couldn't quite bring himself to say the word 'love.' That wasn't the emphasis of The Great Gatsby, anyway. It was all on the unchanging nature of things, how change occurs, ignites, and dies away. Not love. No love that succeeds, anyway. It's the exception to his thematic rule: the lack of morality, in a way. The lack of good morality and meaningful love.

"Bad things happening... Not for no reason, but almost... Helplessly."

Frowning, he pulled his comb a little too hard through a tough patch of hair. The situation he had with friends was fine; he had talked to Harth at the library, and they had been texting, sporadically, since. And the people from the group project... Revali clicked his tongue. Let's just say the group project would be over and done with soon enough. He liked all of them, though... He just didn't know how well they liked him.

But other than that, he didn't really have any other friends. Sure, he'd meet other people, but... No, it's be fine. He'd always been a loner, anyway.

Living here had proven to be no struggle, other than Link's irritating habit of clogging every drain he came in contact with by means of his gorgeous blonde hair. He really did call that one on the first day.

Speaking of Link... 

Setting down his comb, Revali twisted his hair up into a messy bun. That was how he normally slept, anyway. And he wasn't going to think about Link, or their conversation earlier. It didn't make the situation any better. It never did, after all.  
Tucking his hairbrush back into his bag, Revali exhaled slowly. He was not, absolutely not, going to think about Link. He was going to go to the bathroom, wipe off his makeup, and go to bed.

Something in his gut told him he wouldn't be able to sleep. Not with Link on the other side of the room, already making his soft little snores. Not with the way he looked so cute and relaxed, bundled up under his cartoon blanket.

With a grim smile, Revali got up and went to the bathroom... To fix his hair a little better. He wouldn't go through the trouble of braiding it, just a neater bun. He guessed the library was just the place to go at this point; after all, it wasn't too dark outside.

Plus, he needed those books for World Lit. Definitely... even though he didn't really need them, it would just add additional clarity. Which he needed. Totally. Maps and shit.

With a huff Revali twisted his hair up into a bun, readjusted his sweater, grabbed his backpack, and went out the door.

***

Revali had just set down his books, meticulously searched for from the vast library, when the unthinkable happened: a stranger sat down at his table. It wasn't a matter of there being too few tables; the only other people in the library were a couple on a study date in the corner, a kid Revali was 95% sure was high out of his mind, and the librarian.

And this stranger presumes to come in, and sit down at his table. What a jerk. Slowly, he took him in.

He was certainly tall, but his long legs were well muscled; this was no bean-pole thin kind of guy. The track pants he was wearing were tight against him, probably new judging from how white the lines down the sides were still. He wore a letterman jacket in the school colors (blue and gold) undone over a tight black tee shirt that clung to his chest. A little necklace with a gold chain hung around his neck, whatever hung from it hiding behind the collar of his shirt. His skin was a bit lighter than Revali's, but still a warm, dark brown. 

Full lips with a little smirk, roman nose, and almost yellow brown eyes made up the most striking of his facial features, besides his thick, dark brows. His hair was a thick braid of dyed red, bound by multiple hair ties. He could only imagine how full it must be when not contained in a braid.

"And what're you doing?" Revali asked, not giving him the benefit of speaking first.

The stranger smiled a little more, turning his head to the side. Revali could see his many ear piercings, all gold. Maybe fake, maybe not.

"Well, I was just dropping off a book," he said in a deep baritone that felt like it stole Revali's air. "But I decided to drop in."

Goosebumps immediately prickled along his skin. He decided to stay longer, presumably, just to talk to him?

Part of him was charmed, another part wondered what he had to gain through flattery.

"Well, suit yourself - I just had some studying I had to get in, if World Literature is your thing." Revali said, pulling the top book off his stack and beginning to read.

"I'm Ganondorf - I mean, I go by Gan." The stranger, Gan, smiled.

Revali looked over him again. Okay, maybe befriending this guy wouldn't be so bad; though he was annoyed by his normal personal time being interrupted. Normally no one talked to him here, but that was likely due to the 'resting bitch face' he had been informed he had. In all honesty, he enjoyed that.

It was a little strange, though; he said his name like Revali might already know it.

"Revali, Revali Gale." He offered his hand across the table to shake.

Gan took it, and Revali realized just how tiny his own hand looked in comparison. His nails were unpainted, and he wore a gold high school class ring from two years ago on his pointer finger. 

"Are you from around here, or...?" Gan asked, scooting his chair forward. 

"Alaska, actually." Revali answered. "You?"

"Alaska?" Gan's eyebrows snapped up. "That's very... Interesting. I'm from New Mexico, myself."

"Mm, interesting." Revali hoped he could just go back to his book, but he had no such luck. 

"So... What brought you here?" Gan leaned forward, resting his chin in one of his hands.

Revali shrugged again. "Scholarship - it would be a cheaper, better education for me to go here than anywhere else."

"Makes sense. I'm here on a football scholarship." He explained. 

Revali, at this point, was resigned to not getting any work done. He left the book open just to remind Gan of what he would have been doing. It wasn't like it was necessary work, anyway. And football made sense; maybe he was a bit of a local star. It explained the name thing.

"I didn't even know the school had football." Revali commented.

Gan frowned. "I thought that was getting better. Anyway, I'm actually captain of the team - you should come to a game sometime."

And that explained what he had to gain. Revali shrugged and was about to explain his personal dislike of the sport, but Gan didn't give him a chance.

"Here, if I give you my number I can text you this year's game schedule so you can see when you can fit it in." He said, straightening himself in his chair again.

Revali conceded, ready to give whatever excuse he needed to later. As it was, this was a big guy; he didn't want to risk upsetting him.   
Inside, he chided himself for that. Gan seemed nice enough; why was he still afraid of him? He was just being irrational. This wasn't back in Tabantha. They exchanged numbers, and that was that.

Revali, sensing the lull in the conversation, went back to his book.

"What are, if you don't mind me asking, your pronouns?" Gan asked.

Pronouns. Gender. Revali gave up any last shred of hope of getting anything close to work done. Maybe - superstition was talking again - that's why he couldn't sleep: so he would end up meeting this guy. Not for some useless late night studying.

"He and Him, actually." Revali explained, prepared for the storm. "I'm nonbinary."

Gan didn't look as confused as he expected him to. "That's interesting - I have a cousin who's a lesbian, she's explained all the terms to me, it seems."

"I doubt all of them." Revali commented, almost with a snort.

Gan continued, unfazed. "Maybe you've met her; she's a freshman this year, her name's Urbosa, long red hair...?"

So, Urbosa was a lesbian. Odd that her cousin outed her like that, but... He was probably not super used to that kind of thing.

Revali gave a nod. "She's in my English class, we're on a project together - though I didn't know she's a lesbian."

He laughed, harder than may be acceptable in a library. "That's amazing; she tells everyone!"

"Apparently not." Revali wondered to himself if any of the others were queer as well... Or if it was just Revali, Mipha, and the two lesbians.

It also left him wondering if she didn't tell them for a reason.

"No, but... What exactly does that mean to you, nonbinary?" Gan asked, leaning forward on the table once more.

Revali frowned in annoyance, looking down at his nails. "It's... Very personal. I don't talk about it a lot, especially with people I don't know very well."

"Well, we ought to know each other a bit better then, shouldn't we?" Gan's beautiful lips split into a grin.

Revali raised an eyebrow; was he flirting? "I don't know, should we?"

Gan laughed again, and Revali was seriously getting confused.

"Oh shit, I should probably be getting back to my dorm." Revali lied, gathering up the books. "It's getting dark out."

Gan nodded sadly in agreement. "Would you like me to walk you back? It does get pretty dark around the library. I don't know why they don't light it better."

"No thanks, I'm good." He smiled, completely joyless, sliding his books into his bag and holding up his pepper spray. "I'm covered."

"You know that pepper spray isn't allowed on campus... Right?"

Revali blinked. "What?"

"Yeah, they don't allow it." Gan shrugged. "Which is like, pretty bullshit to me. People pretty much only carry it in self defense."

"In which case..." He looked out through the windows, at the walk back to the dorm.

He could use some more friends; even if Gan was a little pushy.

"Yeah, that would be nice."

Gan smiled, big and bright, then stood all the way up to his massive height once more. "Alright, let's go."

And it was nice, as they walked back, even though they didn't talk about anything that mattered.

***

September 8

(Link)

Despite the awful sleep he had gotten the night before, Link felt good. Maybe he got up on the right side of the bed, maybe it was just good luck, or maybe it was the conversation he had with Revali last night.

Shit, Revali... Link felt himself blush. He could hear the shower running, and could feel how hot the dorm was getting, so he assumed he was in there. If there was one thing about Revali, it was how long of showers he took. And how he clogged up the drain... Though he guessed he did some of that, too.

Yawning, Link got up and stretched his arms over his head. Oh! That popped his back. This really was a good day after all.

Ding!

Revali's phone, on his desk, chimed. Link wasn't going to snoop, it wasn't his business.

Ding!

Ding!

Whoever as texting him, it must have been urgent. Link, feeling more than a little guilty, padded across to his desk and picked up the phone.

(Gan): Hey babe, do you wanna hang out soon?

(Gan): We could go to that little cafe on campus later today if that's fine with you?

(Gan): Are you busy?

Link's heart sank as soon as he saw the word 'babe.' Of course, someone as cute as Revali had to have a boyfriend - just his luck. Trying not to sulk, Link went to go get dressed.

It wasn't his business anyway. If Revali was involved with someone else it made no difference to him.

Link could barely make himself think those lies.

It wasn't like he had a chance anyway! He didn't make it known that he had a crush... He wasn't even admitting to himself that he had a crush. Right now he just needed to suck it up and ignore it. 

Suck it up.

Ignore it. 

Be a good roommate... Right?


	8. Eight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The group meets up to talk about the project, but Link can't help but be distracted by Revali's apparent boyfriend... Not helped by the fact that he seems more absent than ever.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ngl I almost forgot to update. Fictober I wild! Sorry, y'all.

September 12

(Link)

Link hadn't talked to Revali much over the past few days. They chatted once in a while about one stupid thing or another, but it never quite felt like anything happened between them. Revali went back to being as quiet as he had been before their little conversation, only answering questions about himself very sparingly then going back to his book, or his phone more recently. Struggling with the thought, Link wondered he was only realizing it so much more now that he had a boyfriend.

Or, if the boyfriend was new and now that Revali had one it made talking to Link irrelevant.

Shaking his head, Link snapped his attention back to class. He hadn't missed much; Mr. Hyrule was still just blathering his political views. It was frustrating, not just because he was wrong, but also because he would quiz them over information he hadn't been teaching in class, which meant he actually had to do the reading and take notes on that. Link frowned, setting down his pencil. He would pick it back up again when there was something to take notes on.

He was an objectively bad teacher, which only added to Link's dislike of the guy. Besides, you couldn't be friends with Zelda, know her well, and not want to tell him where he could stick his opinions about the current state of politics in this country.

Class ended before Mr. Hyrule's rant was over, so he was forced to abandon his tirade in order to tell them about the homework he had posted to blackboard. Internally, Link groaned. It had been hard enough for him to read To Kill a Mockingbird, even if it was actually getting interesting. The additional homework from him was bordering on unreasonable. 

Link was beginning to think he was the college professor all the high school teachers warned you about. Absently, he wondered if anyone in the class knew how a mutiny was operated. Mutiny sounded like much more fun than short form essays on current newspaper articles and verb conjugations.

Stretching his shoulders first, Link began the process of gathering up his things into his backpack. It wasn't that he had so much stuff; it was, well, that his backpack was a mess. Sure it was the second week of school, but that had never stopped him before.

His backpack never started organized to begin with was the problem, but it always fit what it had to.

"Are we meeting up in your dorm again to study?" Zelda asked, sliding herself onto Link's desk.

Link nodded.

"Fantastic - I already told Mipha that's what we're doing, and I didn't want to be wrong." She glanced over at the aforementioned girl, who smiled and waved.

"You like her, don't you?" Link teased, turning so Mipha couldn't see his hands.

Zelda turned scarlet. "No, I don't - you know - oh you-"

She sputtered like that for a bit, before taking a deep breath and letting it out in a great sigh. One of her hands came up and tugged lightly at a lock of her hair: a subconscious tick she had when she was thinking.

"Was I that obvious?" She whispered, leaning forward.

Link only laughed as a response to that one, hopping out of his seat.

"You always are." He smirked, signing as he walked over to join Urbosa and Mipha.

"How's your reading been going?" Mipha asked, tucking a braid behind her ear.

Link shrugged.

Zelda groaned. "It's Hemingway. It's not going anywhere."

Mipha laughed at that, and a pink blush erupted across Zelda's face. Link hadn't been lying when he said she was that obvious.

Daruk, who had seemingly fazed in out of nowhere, shrugged. "I'll need a while longer before I can make anything out about the theme - I've never been the fastest reader."

Link nodded. "Me neither."

"Well, I'm guessing we're headed that way?" Revali barely glanced up from his phone to speak - he appeared to be texting somebody.

Likely, the boyfriend.

Trying not to frown at Revali (since there was nothing wrong with having a boyfriend), Link agreed and walked towards the door. The others followed suit, eventually deciding to walk instead of drive. That was mainly because Link hadn't driven earlier, but that seemed to be of no consequence; everyone enjoyed walking together... Except, of course, problem person of the hour, Revali. He was still scowling at his phone, before finally sliding it into his back pocket in anger. His eyes seemed to flash with annoyance.

If he was honest, that look scared the shit out of Link. That was the look of someone who is willing to hurt another person. Trying to pull his thoughts away from that, he tuned back into the conversation. 

"It's about farmers." Daruk explained. "That's about as much as I've got."

Zelda coughed. "Well, surely you must have more than-"

"Nope." Daruk cut her off. "I don't. I'm a disaster running on bean water alone right now, and I don't know shit about this book."

"Bean water?" Revali only looked over at them long enough to give Daruk a disdainful look.

"Coffee." He clarified, not seeming to sense Revali's disgust. "My cousin's and I started calling it bean water sometime around... Actually, I don't know when, but we did, and now I can't stop. It's kinda dumb, I know."

"...well, at least you're honest... About the book, I mean, not it being dumb. I think bean water is perfectly fine." Mipha smiled sheepishly, diffusing the odd tension in the air. "My book seems interesting, so far, at least."

"Bean water just sounds... disgusting." Revali muttered, his mouth pressed into a tight lipped frown.

Link rolled his eyes. Where was the Revali who got super excited about the theme of their project? Wherever he was, he hadn't been here, lately.

Zelda nodded, completely ignoring Revali. "That's good - the better we can make this situation, the better it'll be."

Revali made a noise akin to a scoff, but said nothing. Link frowned. Wasn't he just in the worst mood today? His scowl seemed to do nothing but deepen.

They made it to the dorms relatively quickly, and made their way up the stairs relatively slowly. Link had found himself getting used to it, thankfully. It was still a little hard to breathe, but only because of his binder. After that it was quick to get to room 302, and Link jiggled the key in the knob to try to get it to open. He swore that if the locks in this damned building were any more stubborn, he'd-

"Here." Revali stepped forward, reaching for the key.

Instinctively, Link stepped away, but not before their hands touched. Revali's fingers were dry, and cold like ice. Alaska came to mind, and he suppressed a grin. It was just too appropriate: the icy roommate from up north.  
Carefully, Revali took the key out, slid it back in, and turned it first try.

"You just can't push it in all the way." He explained, brushing a stray blue lock of hair out of his face. "It only works at a certain point."

Link nodded, slightly annoyed. Like he didn't already know that; they'd already been living here for a while now, he'd been able to get into the dorm plenty on his own, thank you very much. Taking his key back, he pushed his way inside. 

He sat near the head of his bed, and Mipha sat next to him after dusting off her skirt. Zelda, seeming to gain a moment of courage, sat next to her. Revali sat across from Link, plugging his phone into the charger on his desk, and Daruk sat himself next to him. Urbosa opted to sit on the floor, at the foot of both beds.

"Well - should we start by trying to get any work done at all? We have only had these books for a week, and so determining much about themes is going to be a difficulty." Urbosa brought up, shifting the way she sat.

Revali shrugged. "Change in morality is an easy fit."

"What?"

"Each book is built on the change in morality of the time period - or the apparent lack thereof leading to tragedy." He explained, glancing at his phone. "In Gatsby it's more tragic, contrasting the ideas of what's 'right' to the reader and narrator with what these people are doing, and showing the ends of their actions, but not in a parable kind of way... It's deeper than that. To Kill a Mockingbird has it more in the forefront - what is right and what is wrong, but what's wrong is often what is valued by society anyway. Gone with the Wind - same deal." He shrugged. "Just keep it in mind, as you read, anyway. Most of these books have a clear separation somewhere."

Zelda raised an eyebrow, casting a glance at Link. Link shrugged, trying his best not to laugh. The tone of voice he used, so bored, was laughable. It was strange, especially compared to the excited tone he used when talking about this before.

"So... We're not getting to anything today." Daruk restated.

Revali raised an eyebrow, that same frown pinched his lips, then he reached for The Great Gatsby. From the placement of the index card he was using as a bookmark, he was almost finished. He opened it and began to read.

"Yeah... Most likely not." Mipha agreed. "But it's nice to meet up anyway."

Zelda nodded emphatically, and Link had to stop himself from bursting out laughing. Silently he wondered if she was actually going to ask her out one of these days.

"Well, how is everyone..." Link signed, and Daruk began to talk about his day.

That man was a storyteller, Link had to admit. Something about his tone of voice, his laughing eyes - it was very easy to listen to him.

"Then the little lady working there- she was white, blond, and her bangs were probably about a half an inch long - changed my gender marker to male!" He rolled his eyes with emphasis. "So I asked her-" he clasped his hands. "-excuse me. I noticed the 'male' mark on my student ID card. Was that a mistake? And she's like-"

He stopped, dropped his shoulders, and let his jaw hang open. His eyebrows were drawn up in confusion, blinking slowly.

"A metaphorical deer staring into the headlights of me. So naturally I, wondering if she's alright, ask her if she's okay. And she sputters a bit, then I repeat the question. And we did that what had to be... Six times?" He laughed. "So finally I got my card, with the right marker- well, with the 'I'd prefer not to say' marker - but get this - only after the next person came in! I only got my card after blondie's shift was over. And you know how long it took with the second person?"

He was barely containing a chuckle. "Hey, can I get my gender marker changed on my card? And they're like... Yeah. What'd you want? And I told them I'd prefer not to say. And they did it. Barely any time at all."

Everyone kind of laughed, except Mipha who shook her head. "It's kind of sad."

"Yeah... I'm used to it." Daruk shrugged.

"Wait. You're nonbinary too?" Link didn't know when Revali had put down his book, but apparently he had.

Some part of his eyes, like when talking about the project before and Link's photography, lit up. It was like his entire face was glowing.

"Yeah, I'm Agender." Daruk answered. "I use any pronouns, really. He and him is just easiest. You know, since I rock the big beard and all."

Revali's eyes shone like they were on fire. "I've never met anyone else, if I'm honest - wait. We're all queer, aren't we? If, of course, that word is fine."

Link nodded, along with everyone else.

"We're all queer... Oh, and Link." Revali stated.

Zelda and Link met each other's eyes, wondering if he was serious. Mipha glanced around a bit. Daruk seemed to be cracking up.

"What?" Revali's voice got shrill as he became agitated. "I know Daruk is agender, Urbosa and Zelda are lesbians, Mipha is..."

"Bi." She chimed in.

"Bi," Revali continued. "And I'm... Nonbinary and gai."

"...that's what I forgot!" Link clapped, Revali's list jogging his memory. "I haven't hung up my trans flag."

Revali blinked twice. "Wait. You're trans?"

He nodded slowly, trying to contain his smile. "Yup. My height didn't give it away?"

"I've known a couple of people with scoliosis and similar back problems - I know better than to question someone's height." Revali answered quickly.

"My face?"

"Is covered mostly by your hair, anyway." He twisted a stray lock of hair around his finger. "Besides- you're not that feminine."

Link nodded, feeling his face get a big pink. "Good to know."

"So we're all queer. What are the odds?" Revali shrugged, a little laugh bubbling from his throat.

Link couldn't help but smile at that little laugh, at the way his whole face seemed to be... Alive. It made his heart beat that much harder in his chest. He wanted to photograph that look on his face, but knew that couldn't. He's just have to remember him forever.

"What are the odds." Revali repeated, still smiling as he went back to reading.

(Zelda): Think there are any gay people in Alaska?

(Link): shh

(Daruk): Not anymore, Revali's here now

(Zelda): Shit you're right

(Link): holy fuck

(Mipha): That's probably mean

(Link): I'm from rural Wyoming I get it

(Link): it's overwhelming 

(Mipha): Ahh okay

(Urbosa): Is this a group chat of everyone but Revali?

(Daruk): Now that's probably mean

(Daruk): I mean, from how much he's responded to the other one I'm guessing he has it muted already

(Zelda): Harsh but fair

(Link): besides... We don't want to bother him?

(Mipha): That is fair...

Revali glanced up, likely at the silence, raising an eyebrow before going right back to reading. 

"Anyway..." Daruk started. "So there was this one time..."

***

The good mood Revali had been in earlier seemed to leave as soon as their friends did. He had been a part of some of their little discussions, and had even told a few little stories, but once they were gone so was the light in his eyes. He put down The Great Gatsby and picked up his phone, then went back to his sullen frown. At moments he seemed happy, but then it always went back to the same look.

Whoever this boyfriend was, or whatever was going on, he sure didn't seem happy.


	9. Nine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Revali is distant, Link is crushing, and Mipha is, well... 
> 
> Hopeless.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Can you tell I hate writing summaries?

September 19

(Link)

Link sucked in a deep breath, then tapped on his desk, trying to get his attention. "Hey, Revali?" 

No response; still staring right at his phone. That was fine. It was okay; he had come to peace with the fact that this was just what he did most of the time. It only got annoying when he, a nonverbal person, was trying to get his attention without being borderline awful. 

"Revali?"

Nothing.

"Revali?"

Finally, he glanced up, a bored look on his beautiful, beautiful face.

"Hey, do you want to get together with the group project?" Link asked, a frown tugging at his own lips.

"Oh, I'm busy after class today." He deflected, going right back to his phone. "Just send it to the group chat if you come up with anything important you want me to see."

Doubt echoing on whether that was true or not, Link shrugged. He was fairly sure Revali had finished reading The Great Gatsby, and that he was already halfway to being finished with his report.

It made sense, he supposed, that he didn't want to get together with them; even just last week they were pretty much just hanging out, and no one was actually getting anything done. So when Revali had ideas, and input, no one really knew what to say. Now, once they were further along though...

"Okay, but you'd have to check the texts from the group chat." Link signed in a moment of boldness. "You haven't responded to anything all week."

Revali raised an eyebrow, shrugged, and gathered up his things. "That doesn't mean I haven't read it. See you later, Link."

Link only nodded in response, shoving his hands in his hoodie pockets so he wouldn't say anything stupid.

He stalked his way back to the group. "He's busy - let's just go."

Nodding, they made their way out the door. It was getting colder outside, and the walk was feeling longer and longer. Of course, it didn't help that Link was walking a bit behind the group, his hands still in his pockets. The wind blowing by felt far too convenient to his mood; it only could have matched better if it was raining. Grey clouds covered the whole sky, making campus look bleak and dull. What trees there were had started to lose their color, making them just seem sad. A chill ran through Link, cutting right through his hoodie and making him shiver. 

In a moment of irritation with the whole thing, he took out his phone and snapped a photo of one of the trees. It wasn't very good, but he had to have something to show the photography club he had decided to join on Sunday's.

He joined it partially because of Revali, after all.

Why did the guy have to be so, so... Infuriating, though Link wished he could find a better word. Just a little while ago it had seemed like he had cracked into Revali's real personality, and now? It seemed like he was back to the cold and quiet.

It was fine, Link supposed. It wasn't like he had expected anything to begin with. His roommate was impossibly beautiful, studious, and out of his league - he seriously didn't expect any romantic attraction. What he had hoped for, at the very least, was for them to get along. 

"Are you alright?" 

Link blinked, glancing over at Zelda. Seemingly, she had dropped back to walk with him.

He managed a little smile. "He's just getting to me, that's all."

"You like him, don't you?"

Link froze. "What makes you-"

"Isn't it obvious?" Zelda laughed, then gave him a look of pity. "It isn't you - I think he's just... One of those people."

"He has a boyfriend." Link told her. "I meant to tell you about that before, but I didn't just want to text, and... I haven't met him, but they're always texting. At least, I assume it's his boyfriend. He called him babe."

"Ohh," her eyebrows went straight up. "That's why he's been on his phone all the time. Sorry, Link."

Link nodded. "Yeah, he's been like that in the dorm, too. It doesn't seem like he wants anything to do with me. Or anyone, for that matter."

"I don't think that's true." Zelda frowned, burying her hands in her hoodie pockets. "I think that he's just immature - he'll realize how he's being toward everyone around him sooner or later, and that he doesn't just need romance; he needs friends, too."

"Are you just telling me things so I'll feel a little less crushed?" 

Zelda shrugged. "I don't think so - though it is always possible that he's just a complete asshole who only cares about himself and that's why he's... Like that."

Link sighed. "Now you're just crushing me."

Zelda chuckled, elbowing him lightly. "I'm sure that it will all work itself out."

Link shrugged, nodded, and shoved his hands back into his pockets once more.

***

(Revali)

Revali had agreed to go to the football game because he had never been to one before and, to be honest... A little bit of him was excited by the idea of it. Not watching the actual football, per se, but dressing up, going to such a social thing, and just being a part of a group like that.

He, of course, was dressed up cheering for the Hyrule Knights in home team colors: blue and gold, cheering for the captain of the team himself, Ganondorf Dragmire. Who, as he had learned, was quite the star around campus. Everyone knew his name, really. How he didn't was an anomaly.

Funny, for how much for a dork he was. It almost made Revali blush to think about... Maybe he was actually more suave than that, and being around him just made him nervous. He could give Gan a second shot. After all, other than interrupting his studying (which was only because he didn't think he could sleep anyway) he didn't do anything wrong. He even walked him back to his dorm.

Which was... Kind of sweet, in an old world way.

Revali had to say, though, football games weren't his thing. There were some times it was interesting, but mostly he was just lost... And whenever he was lost he just envisioned Teba trying to explain it to him, which just made him homesick.

So when it was finally over? That was his time to go. He was on his feet, ready to work his way through the group of people in the stands, when-

Of course, his phone had to ring.

(Gan): Meet me outside the stadium? I'll be there in 10 <3

"Second chance." Revali whispered to himself, sliding his phone back into his pants pocket. "And ten more minutes outside. I didn't dress for this weather."

***

(Link)

"Zelda, what do I even do?" Link sighed, letting his shoulders drop completely. "He's just - it's just -"

Being unable to put the words together only made Link more frustrated, tears springing up in his eyes. Yeah, he was used to rejection, but Revali was just so... Hot and cold. One moment it seemed like they were good friends, the next they were complete strangers. He almost just wished it was just one or the other.

Also, two of these little breakdowns in one day? Was too many.

"Hey, it's okay." She sat down next to him on the bed, wrapping her arm around his shoulders. 

They were in Zelda and Urbosa's dorm, Urbosa having gone... Somewhere. Link missed what she had said because he was too caught up thinking about Revali. So here he was, sitting on her bed and rumpling the perfectly tucked in sheets.

"Yeah, it's fine." Link signed, though it felt like he was just telling himself. "I'm not that bothered by it. He doesn't bother me."

Zelda frowned. "Don't lie to yourself just because the truth hurts."

Sighing, he felt himself sink further into the bed. "Yeah, I know."

"Now, are you trying to get over him, or are you trying to pursue something?" She asked, the same way they used to in high school.

"I don't know." Link shrugged. "I really don't - maybe I'll just see what happens? It's a stupid crush. I know that. I know that it's just a dumb fucking crush."

Zelda nodded. "Maybe. Just... Don't get too invested, alright?"

He scoffed, the beginning of a grin tugging at his lips. "Come on, Zel. You know I'm all or nothing."

She only rolled her eyes. "You know, gray area is good sometimes."

"Not as much as you leave." He elbowed her lightly. "You and Mipha could afford a little less gray area."

"Hey!" She shrieked, which turned quickly into a laugh, her face bright red. "Mipha and I are..."

"Complicated?" Link guessed.

"Taking things slow." Zelda finished, a faint smile still resting on her lips.

He raised an eyebrow. "Are you two even dating yet?"

"No." She blushed. "I will ask her out, I-"

Link groaned. "You just have to do it!"

"Well-" she sputtered. "You just have to ask Revali out!"

Link raised his hands, paused, then dropped them. "You right... Unless he actually does have a boyfriend."

"Which you don't know." She nodded. "So until then, you can't hamper me with asking Mipha out."

"Hamper? Who says 'hamper' anymore?" Link teased, elbowing her again.

Zelda elbowed him back, hard. "You shut up, idiot."

Link smiled, leaning his head against her shoulder. Yeah, things were weird with Revali, but at least he had Zelda here with him.

"We're just both too gay." Zelda whispered. "I'm just too afraid of, I don't know, messing something up. It's like... If I say the wrong thing, I might lose her. I'm not used to having people like her around, here or in Colorado."

Link nodded, and made what he hoped came across as a grunt of understanding.

"And I don't know what I'd do if I lost her, it's like... Seeing her makes me so unexplainably happy, and talking with her is even more so. All I want to do is hear her laugh..."

Link snickered.

"What?"

"One-" he held up a finger. "Gay. Two, you told me not to get too invested?"

Zelda frowned. "Okay, you're right. But still, it's like... My heart won't stop beating out of my chest."

Link nodded slowly, wagging his eyebrows.

"Oh, you stop it!" She shoved him. "I know, I'm hopeless."

"Helpless?" Link waggled his eyebrows again.

"Do not sign Hamilton at me." Zelda warned, pointing her finger straight at him. "I will not take that kind of slander."

Link pouted. "Alright, alright. We're both helpless."

She nodded. "Better."

"Does that give us an excuse to go get ice cream?" Link asked, suddenly envisioning a pint of triple chocolate chunk.

Zelda pondered this for a moment. "Well, it must."

Link pumped his fists. "I'll go grab my keys?"

"Might as well." Zelda sighed, putting her head in her hands. "You could get a pint for Revali, to be nice."

Link nodded. "That's great! Come on, let's go."

Laughing, they both went to go get ice cream, Zelda talking about Mipha the whole way.

*** 

(Mipha)

Mipha flopped face down on her bed, making a positively horrendous noise into her pillow. It seemed like every Wednesday she prepared herself, got ready for when her and Zelda could inevitably be alone... And then it never happened. Either someone else was there and she was too embarrassed, or they were alone but she couldn't bring herself to admit her feelings. It was frustrating, mainly because it was her own fault.

But what if Zelda didn't feel that way about her?

Deciding to pull herself together, Mipha sat up and took a deep breath. It was only September still, she would be fine. This group project went all semester, so it was no problem that she hadn't confessed her feelings to Zelda.   
Still, it felt a little bit untruthful. Zelda deserved to know the truth about how she felt about her, and Mipha was keeping it from her.

But what if Zelda didn't feel that way about her?

Mipha groaned again. Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath, imagining her calming color: sky blue. After that she exhaled, imagining all of the negativity and anxiety surrounding the situation as a dark magenta color that she hated. Repeating this a few more times, she felt a bit more stable. It was an old trick her therapist had taught her, and it still worked to this day. 

Taking in another deep breath of blue, Mipha dug around in her backpack for her bullet journal. It wasn't extremely organized, by some people's standards, but Mipha liked to have the space to really think about things on paper. Boxing in about half a page, she began her comparison.

In flowing cursive that would make even her calligraphy teacher proud, Mipha wrote 'Zelda' at the top of the box. Inside, she made two lists of bullet points. One side was titled 'likes' and the other 'doesn't likes.' She wouldn't complete the list right now, for sure - but thinking about it on paper would make her feel better.

Under 'likes' is where she started, furrowing her brows to think of specific things. Zelda had listened to her talking about how dolphins aren't as good as everyone thinks they are, and had even seemed interested. They hung out last Thursday, got coffee together and studied back in Zelda's dorm. She laughed at all of her jokes, and complemented her outfits. Mipha found herself blushing intensely as she listed them off, her heart pounding in her chest.

With less anticipation, she turned to the 'does not like' list. Zelda always seemed awkward around her, a bit stiff. Maybe that was because she sensed that Mipha liked her, and was uncomfortable. She always seemed to be in a hurry about things; maybe she didn't really want to be around her... And Zelda hadn't told her how she felt either way.

Satisfied with her lists, for now, Mipha turned her attention away from that part of her bullet journal. She had an essay due in her writing class, and she needed to be working on the board project she had due in History. Though, the board wasn't due until later next month - she should most likely be reading for English. 'Their Eyes were Watching God' was interesting, but tedious. The main character, Janie, just seemed to keep getting married to the wrong men. She had joked to Zelda that all Janie had to do was find a woman, and she'd be happy for the rest of her life. They had both laughed at that... Even if it defeated the point of the book. Still smiling, she added that point to the 'likes' part of her bullet journal: gay jokes.

Mipha found herself just staring at the wall, thinking about Zelda. Sighing, she shut her bullet journal, and put the thoughts of Zelda's sunshine smile out of her mind. 

Their Eyes were Watching God it was - she really should be further through. Already the library book was covered in sticky notes, all covered in her writing. That was what had been slowing her down, mostly. She would rather have all of the information she felt was important written down, so that she wouldn't miss anything for her part of the presentation.  
After all, the group was relying on her to do her part. She frowned, then took a deep breath. She would be fine; she would do a great job.

Besides, the presentation isn't until December. There was still plenty of time to finish reading, studying, and working together on it. 

Calming herself with that thought, Mipha got to work reading. All she had to focus on now was working a little bit at a time...

...and trying not to think about Zelda every waking moment.


	10. Ten

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After spending some time with Gan, Revali is just frustrated that he can't get Link out of his head... Until he gets a phone call that distracts from all of that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Almost forgot about this update! Still on time, in my timezone.

September 19

Revali didn't often admit that he was wrong about people, but... Gan was certainly a nicer guy than he thought, at first. Back at the library had definitely been the kind of thing where he was nervous, and he himself admitted he wasn't good at text messaging.

So he was looking forward to getting far, far fewer messages throughout the day.

He assured Gan it wasn't because he didn't want to hear from him; he was just busy. He couldn't always be responding to some guy on his phone, he'd look like an asshole. Hell, people probably already thought he was the kind of douche who was constantly on his phone.

Gan had laughed at that, and his laugh...

Revali was smiling now, walking up the stairs on the way up to his dorm. That was how beautiful his laugh was: he wasn't even thinking about the fact that the elevator was still out of order after literal weeks of being here. He wasn't thinking about the fact that they had hung out walking around mostly outside for the better part of the day and he was only in a thin top and shorts.

He was glad he was dressed the way he was, though, because the moment Gan came out of the auditorium, dressed much like he was at the library, he stripped off his letterman jacket and wrapped it around his shoulders. That had been nice. Whether he actually felt romantic feelings about Gan or not... That was really nice of him. Gentlemanly. That old world kind of nice, like walking him home.

But that was the only thing...

He was enchanting, really. From his blinding smile to his impressive stature to the roughness of his hands. Revali was thoroughly taken with him, he had to admit... He just wasn't sure if it was in a romantic way or not.

That was fine, though. He had lots of time to figure that out. 

Especially, though, compared to Link...

Revali frowned, shaking the key as he pushed open the door. He didn't even know how to feel about Link. They were so different, and there was something so, so...

Link definitely didn't see it, but it really did seem like he was skating by. He barely got any of his schoolwork done on time, which stressed out Revali to no end, and what he did get done oftentimes wasn't anywhere close to his own standards. But it was still good enough to get great grades, miraculously enough, which boggled Revali's mind.

Which, alone, was a downright stupid reason not to be into someone. But...

Along with that came the fact that, whenever their group got together to study (which was far, far too often) they didn't get anything done. Not only that, but when he wanted to get things done, he was the weird one? 

And Link was seemingly... Annoyed with him for it?

No, that whole strange drama with Link could wait. He wanted them to be on good terms, but... A little bit of space might do them both good. He just kept getting a sense that they were all mad at him...

Revali's phone rang, startling him out of his thoughts.

"Hello?"

Of course, with his old phone, the caller ID had to be broken. How did that even work? He didn't know. Technology was never his strong suit. They teased Teba about it a lot, but to be honest he wasn't very good with things either.

"Hey, Revali? It's Gan, just checking to make sure you got back to your dorm okay."

Revali raised an eyebrow. "Sorry, my caller ID doesn't work. And you did just drop me off in front of the building."

"Yeah, but... Just making sure."

"Well, I made it safely." He stated, then realized how harsh that sounded. "Thank you. Today was a lot of fun; I'll see you around?"

Gan laughed. "See you around, Revali."

He hung up, then tossed his phone on the bed. Today was fun, that much was certainly not a lie, but he was exhausted. It was time to take off this makeup, get into comfy clothes, and-

His phone rang.

Again.

Scowling, and wondering if his first judgement about Gan was right, he grabbed his phone yet again and answered. "Uh, hello?"

"Wow, your first three weeks of college got you so jaded that you answer the phone like that now?" Teba replied in the driest tone possible. "What's going on, kiddo?"

For a moment, Revali couldn't speak. He couldn't even breathe - all he could do was smile from ear to ear, slowly sitting down on the edge of his bed.

"What?" He grunted. "Can you talk?"

"Who taught you to use the phone?"

Saki laughed. "You're on speaker; I set it up."

"Figures; he'd never figure out how to do it on his own."

"I would too." Teba argued. "I can make a damn phone call. I'd just rather-"

"We know you'd just rather." Revali chuckled, rolling his eyes. "You'll never guess what I did today."

"You showed a single ounce of humility."

He snorted. "Hardly."

"Then what?"

"Come on," Revali sighed. "You have to have more guesses than that."

Saki hummed. "You... Willingly read something by Ernest Hemingway?"

"Absolutely not! Never. You know I wouldn't."

"Hmm... You watched a sport?" Teba guessed. 

"I actually did."

"No way." He took it back immediately. "You wouldn't. Not the 'Vali I know."

"Well, I did." Revali declared proudly. "So take that, old man."

Teba huffed.

"Oh no." Saki chuckled. "I know this all too well from my college days. Was there a cute boy involved?"

Immediately, he blushed. "Maybe...?"

"See? Doesn't count." She stated matter of fact-ly. "Though, I'm going to need to know more about this guy."

"We're not dating or anything." Revali shrugged. "He's cute, but I don't think I'm interested in him like that."

"Good; be more interested in your studies." Teba said. 

"I am, you know that. Straight A's s far."

"Yay!" He could practically see Saki's smile in how she sounded over the phone. "But you can have a little fun too, yeah?"

Revali blinked. "...I just said that I went to a football game."

"Right. Don't elbow me Teba, you old fool-" She sighed, long and exasperated. "But we've heard about a cute boy, how's making friends going?"

Shit. Well, at least he knows how to make this sound good?

"Pretty great, actually." Revali lied, unzipping his shoes and tucking them under his bed. "My roommate isn't who I thought it was going to be but that's alright; he's pretty cool."

"What do you mean?" Teba asked. "Was there a mix up with the rooms, or did your old roommate drop out...?"

"No, it's... One of the dorm buildings got burned down." He started to explain, switching them to speaker phone while he changed clothes. "So I'm-"

"Excuse me," Saki interrupted. "Did you say it 'got' burned down? As in someone burned it?"

"No, probably not." He reassured, tugging off his shorts. "Some people think it was, but it's so dry here the slightest spark could have set the whole building ablaze."

"Alright. Continue."

"Right. So because of that, students were shifted around. What I've come to realize is that the north dorms, where I'm currently staying, probably wasn't going to house anyone this year so it was fine. A little... Dingy, maybe, but all around? Decent."

It wasn't, but they didn't need to know that.

"Well..." Saki took a deep breath. "It's good that everything's alright."

"What do you mean that they weren't gonna house anyone in your dorms this year?" Teba asked, cutting right to the issue. "That seems fishy."

"I just mean it didn't seem ready." Revali shrugged, pulling on a tank top to sleep in. "And whoever had my room last did not clean it well, let me tell you that. It was disgusting in here. Thankfully, there's a closet with some shared cleaning supplies, but I was not impressed."

"No, that's awful." She agreed. "So if you're not staying with Harth, who's your roommate?"

"His name is Link." He answered, glancing over at Link's bubbly side of the room. "He's fun, I guess. Watches a lot of cartoons, makes pretty good grades. We're on a group project together, too."

Teba groaned. "A group project? Already?"

"That's what I was thinking! There are six of us all in one group in our English class, though, and it's Link, his best friend, her roommate, then two others."

"Mm hm." He hummed. "That's a very interconnected project; two sets of roommates? And what do you think of them?"

Revali paused, tugging on a pair of sleep shorts. "Why did you ask like that?"

"Because I know you." Teba pointed out. "And I know that, once you don't like people, you don't give them second chances."

"I don't dislike them." He said, and... Surprisingly, it felt like the truth. "They're just a little bit tiring, to be honest. Especially all together. But it doesn't matter, because I don't think they like me, so..."

"Oh, honey..." Saki sighed. "Why don't you think that?"

Revali let out a deep breath, sitting back down on the bed. "I don't know. They're all more... Easygoing than I am. No one else seems to move at my pace, and it's a little frustrating."

Teba snorted. "No one moves at your pace, Apollo. Slow down a minute once in a while, you're not a god."

"Thanks, Teba."

"See, he said thanks!" He added, definitely to Saki. "Now stop elbowing me... And seriously, as bad as I am at doing it, take it easy once in a while."

"I know." Revali nodded. "I've been trying to go to the library, when I can. It's been nice. I go on walks. I've been doing my own original stories, when my creative writing class doesn't have me tired out."

"That's good." Saki agreed. "But don't let yourself get too lonely too, okay?"

"Okay..."

"That didn't sound very convinced." She pointed out. "And you didn't really mention any other friends."

Revali sighed. "There's Gan, the cute one from before, Harth I've mentioned before... Mipha from the group project seems like she would be really cool, outside the project? And she's very nice."

That was only three people, leaving off his own damn roommate. Fuck. It wasn't like those were the only people he talked to, but they were the only ones he really made a habit of.

"Okay." Saki conceded, sounding if not pleased then momentarily satisfied. "I know that you've never been that big of a talker-"

"It's amazing you're talking to us right now." Teba interrupted.

"Teba. Anyway, I know you don't talk much, but I don't want you to be all alone down there. And if you need help with something don't be too afraid to ask someone, okay?"

"Okay, Saki."

"I'm serious, more people are kind and willing to give you a hand than you think." She added. "Anyway, it's getting late here even, and you're two hours ahead of us, so we should probably let you go..."

Revali's heart sank in his chest. "It's too late to say goodnight to Tulin, isn't it?"

"He's already asleep, yeah." Teba answered. "Next time, maybe. He misses you a lot. There are a lot of pictures of his sib up on the fridge."

He couldn't help but smile at that. Instead of 'brother' or 'sister,' he preferred to just be called a sibling; but Tulin was only two, so when he became his big sib? It was pretty adorable.

He didn't like kids, but he made the exception for Tulin. That little kid was the best.

"Next time." Revali agreed. "Goodnight, you two."

"Goodnight, we love you." Saki said, blowing kisses over the phone.

"Love you." Teba said, more simply.

He hung up.

"Love you too."

Deep breaths. Now, sleep. He was exhausted, as happy as he was to talk to his... family. And this face of makeup needed to get off of him as soon as possible.

But when Revali crawled under the covers, he was content. Everything, for probably the first time since he got here, really, felt good. Sure, there was stuff that he needed to fix, and things that could be better, but right now? He was on top of the world.

***

(Link)

It was very, very late by the time Link actually decided to head back to his own dorm. Zelda had fallen asleep, snoring ever so slightly with her hair a mess all over her face, Urbosa was back in the dorm studying, typing furiously as she tried to finish a paper, and Link was getting to the point where if he didn't go to bed he was going to pass out somewhere else.

So, feeling more like he was sleepwalking, he pulled himself up off the floor and stumbled towards the door. 

They had gotten ice cream, but in the end they decided against getting any for Revali. Zelda talked him out of it, really; it just wasn't practical. If he put it in the communal freezer downstairs it would most likely get stolen, if he didn't it would melt, he didn't even know where Revali was right now to share it immediately - it was a number of things. Besides, he didn't even know his favorite flavor.

But the ice cream was still delicious, and the conversations it encouraged even more so. They both knew each other so well at this point, nothing had to be held back. 

It was really nice, to just have someone to be close to like that during the year. Normally he only got Zelda during the summer.

Struggling to get the key to just unlock the fucking door, Link tried to keep his movements as quiet as possible. If Revali was asleep in there, he really didn't want to wake him up. As it was he didn't think Revali liked him. If that got added on to it? 

Well, let's just say he really wouldn't be fond of him.

But he got the door open eventually, pushing it open only to find Revali asleep, curled up around a little stuffed animal. He looked so peaceful and adorable and... Link was falling asleep just watching him, so he had better just go to bed. He tossed his keys on top of the dresser, yanked off his binder then pulled his shirt and hoodie back on again, then-

Revali's phone, face up on his desk, buzzed.

Link really, really knew that he shouldn't look at it. When he did before it was just his boyfriend, and that had just been irritating. This was probably just more of the same.

The phone buzzed... Three more times.

It's just going to be upsetting, Link knew. You won't get any satisfaction from looking.

And he looked anyway.

The first message was a photo. It was of Revali, looking beautiful as ever. His hair was done in dual french braids, and he was wearing his outfit from previously that day: a blue scarf, golden jewelry, a black top, and black shorts. Except, overtop of that was a massively oversize blue and gold letterman jacket, draped over his shoulders. It made him look teeny tiny, his legs stretching on for days.

He didn't look comfortable in the photo, though. Something was off, and it probably wasn't the clothes; maybe he didn't want his photo taken?

Did he like having his photo taken?

(Gan): You looked adorable today <3

(Gan): oh wait it's late

(Gan): Goodnight, babe <3

Link laughed at that a little bit and stumbled over to his bed... But he found it more difficult than he expected to fall asleep, the idea of Gan on his mind.


	11. Eleven

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Weekend plans are tricky, and Revali has no idea how to balance them. Especially when he has two very different kinds of friends. Still, he's sure he'll make the right decision, in the end.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Actually remembering to post in the morning again! Also, someone tell me to go to bed on school nights? Jeez, I'm exhausted.

September 20

(Revali)

Waking up with four, instead of fourteen, texts from Gan was a definite improvement. That guy could hold a conversation with a brick wall. Or maybe he just felt no shame about double texting. Either way, it was a little laughable, sometimes.

But it was to send him a picture of himself, which... It was a cute photo, laughing in his jacket. In a sporadic decision he decided to post it to his Instagram. Not tagging Gan, but mentioning him. Gan was famous enough that would just make him look like an attention whore, and... That really wasn't what he wanted.

He also went through and deleted all of the worst bad selfies on there from high school. Not all of them, because a little bit of context made him look even more attractive now, but...

Link really had been right, a few weeks ago. Some of the captions on there were very, very embarrassing now. Which, admittedly, was because it was from back in freshman year when he was a straight up mess, but...

...He didn't have time to unpack all of that...

...But right now was time for a shower. He didn't have Bio until ten o'clock, so it was no hurry. He couldn't take too long, of course, but that was always. It took a while to get over there; the class was all the way across campus in the Peatrice Lecture Hall, and that took quite a while to walk over to.

Unless...

Revali whipped out his phone... Then remembered that most people weren't up this early, especially when they were texting someone literally in the middle of the night. Waking up at six was just natural to him, at this point, but... He had better not wake up Gan. That would be a dick move.

For now then, shower. The braids in his hair could stay, but his body was desperate to be cleaned after being in those sports stands yesterday... And as cute as the letterman jacket was, it didn't smell extraordinary. Belonging to a football player didn't exactly help that along.

Gan usually smelled pretty nice though, if a little sweaty.

Revali rolled his eyes at himself. Shower time, regardless.

***

A few hours later, at a more reasonable hour, he decided to text.

(Revali): Hey, good morning

(Gan): Good morning, babe <3

It was a little weird that he called him babe, but... That could easily just be a normal affection thing. Revali knew that he was not very affectionate himself at all, so... Maybe that was normal?

(Revali): Could I ask a favor?

(Gan): Anything

(Revali): I just need a ride to a class, you make it sound like I'm asking you to go on a quest for me

(Gan): Haha, well, I'll take you to class, but I would go on a quest for you too <3

(Gan): What time?

(Revali): I need to be at the Peatrice before 10

(Gan): Perfect, I'll be right there

It was nice to have a friend who could drive. Sure, Link had his beat up little Jeep, but... He was sleeping so peacefully right now, eyelashes fluttering so delicately on his soft cheeks, snoring just a little bit with every gentle rise and fall of his chest.

It wasn't fair. He could spend a whole day almost with Gan, hanging out with him, being around him, but... The moment he got back to his dorm to this little cartoon-wearing slacking-off roommate of his, he was smitten.

It really, really wasn't fair.

"Life isn't fair." He could hear Teba grumbling. "And don't bother complaining to the management."

Taking a deep breath, Revali made sure he had his textbook again before slinging his backpack over his shoulders and heading down to meet him.

"Good morning, Link." He whispered, but he didn't even stir.

***

Revali wasn't waiting outside the building long before Gan's black pickup truck rolled up, screeching to a halt in front of the building.

"Careful," He chuckled, pushing his backpack in before hoisting himself up into the front seat. "Driving like that you're going to end up hitting someone."

Gan waved him off. "I'm plenty careful. You said the Peatrice?"

"Yep. It's all the way across campus... I'm not sure why they designed the premises like this. Anyone could have told you such a sprawling design would be terrible to get around on without proper transportation."

He raised an eyebrow. "Do you have a car?"

"Goodness, no. I've been walking everywhere since I first got here." Revali admitted, fiddling with one of his braids. "Which has been fine. I don't mind the cold as long as I'm dressed for it."

"As long as you're dressed for it." Gan laughed. "Speaking of which... One of my football buddies is hosting a big party this Friday, you want to come with?"

No. That was his first thought, but...

Don't be a bitch; besides, what if it's fun? The football game was... After the game was over. The game itself wasn't that great, but hanging out with Gan had been nice. He didn't even know what kind of party this was going to be.

"Sure... Where'll it be?"

He smiled that blinding smile. "I'll text you the address... Actually, I could come pick you up, it's pretty far away from your dorm building. You know those group houses on campus? The ones that used to be Greek life?"

"...no."

"Well, there are there houses on campus, group living, now." Gan explained. "A bunch of the upperclassmen live in them, since the north dorms got torched. They're pretty much like normal houses, but... On college campus."

Revali glanced over at him. "No offense, but... That sounds like a recipe for disaster."

"Probably." He shrugged. "So... Are you still in?"

"Why not?" He pulled up at the Peatrice Lecture Hall, and Revali grabbed his bag. "Thanks for the ride, Gan."

"Anytime, Revali."

And as he shouldered his backpack, walking into the building, Revali shook his head. Who was he turning into? Going to football games, parties, talking to cute guys... Maybe this was college life after all. 

***

(Link)

It was Thursday afternoon, Revali and Link were both finally in the dorm... he could just ask, now. The group chat - the one without Revali in it - had been planning to hang out over the weekend, to go into town to see a movie. Which, of course, would mean all cramming into Link's Jeep, but... That was just the kind of things you did in college, right?

Only problem, was, he was petrified.

It was like high school all over again: talking to people and knowing full well the response he was going to get was overwhelmingly negative. Knowing that he shouldn't have even bothered in the first place.

No. No it wasn't. Revali was a normal person just like him who he could talk to if he wanted to. He was just... a little bit of a dick sometimes. 

He may as well just go for it.

"Hey, Revali, do you want to hang out this weekend? The group was going to see if we could all go see a movie Friday night."

Revali frowned. "I'm sorry; I already have other plans. Another time?"

Link forced a smile. "Sure."

And texted the separate group chat back.

(Link): Revali's not coming

(Daruk): did we expect anything else?

And honestly, Link didn't know if he did. It was probably unrealistic. He was living his own live, he had his own plans, and this was fairly last minute. It was fine.

Didn't stop it from being disappointing, though.

***

September 21

(Revali)

"You couldn't have told him that you forgot about other plans you had." Revali said to himself in the mirror. "You couldn't have just texted him: 'sorry, something came up and I can't go,' and tacked on a couple of frowning faces and broken hearts?"

He was being careful not to hide in the bathroom an obviously long time, but damn if it wasn't tempting. He'd done it before, it wasn't like he was a stranger to it.

This just wasn't his scene, this group of college partiers with their booze and their drugs. There wasn't anything hardcore here; maybe a couple pills but he hadn't specifically seen any, some edibles, and plenty of people vaping and smoking. Kids were tripping over each other, laughing at stupid things, playing actual, honest to goodness beer pong (Revali thought that was just made up for movies, he had been to parties but never seen anyone play it), and making out sloppily in crazy, disgusting places.

It wasn't that he looked down on any of them, it was just... Very much not his thing. He liked retaining his dignity too much for this, now.

He was really regretting turning down that movie.

But his friend invited him to this party, so... He'd be at this party. With a deep breath, summoning the last of his patience for dealing with intoxicated people, he unlocked the door and stepped back outside. 

And Gan was right there. "Revali, there you are. Are you feeling okay?"

Other than the horrible pit in his stomach, yeah, but that wasn't what he was about to say. "Strong smells just... Make me a little nauseated, that's all."

"That makes sense... Here." He handed him a drink. "I know you said you don't drink, so I found some juice in the fridge."

Revali smiled, taking a sip: cranberry juice, oddly enough. "Thank you, Gan."

"Here, let's go sit down on the couch."

They wandered over, Gan snagging another beer, Revali sipping on his cranberry juice. It did make it better, weirdly enough, just to be drinking something... Even if he did get asked by a very, very high boy if he was a vampire.

He just snarled at him and laughed.

But they got over to the couch and started to mingle with the people there, and that was when the real conversation started to pick up. Something about sports, and rival teams, and... Revali wasn't really following it though, really. He was feeling kind of hazy.

It probably was all of the smoke, to be honest. It was making him feel just a little bit sleepy. Forest fires made him feel that way, too. There was one summer back in Tabantha when....

Everyone laughed, and he laughed along with them. This was kind of nice, in the same way the football game was: community. They were all... Together. Altogether. Should it be one word or two? Two. Definitely two. Why was Revali having a hard time-

He was leaning on Gan, pretty heavy, his head leaning on his shoulder. He was so big... Then his hands were moving him, and he was sitting up, and-

Then Gan kissed him.

And everything immediately snapped back into order.

"Excuse me!?" Revali pushed him away, springing up off the couch. "No. Fuck no. I'm out of here."

"Revali, wai-"

But he wasn't listening. The smoke had cleared in his head and he was storming out of the house and into the brisk Wyoming fall outside, the wind whipping his skirt around his thighs, his hair around his head. It didn't matter if he had to walk all the way back to the dorm building like this without pepper spray. Gan didn't even ask before kissing him! What kind of nerve-?

"Revali, wait, I'm sorry." Gan pleaded, still following. "That really wasn't okay, and I definitely should have asked you, and I-"

"You think?" 

"I don't want to leave things wrong with you though, 'cause I think you're a really great person, even just as friends." He continued. "So... Can I make things right?"

Revali stopped walking. Second chances. Had he been leading him on this whole time? Maybe a little bit... It wasn't totally fair to him to take this out on him. He had been calling him babe, and asking him to parties and football games...

Fuck, maybe he should have let him know.

Gan sighed. "If you just want to go to the library and hang out with books, that's fine too. I know that's more your thing than parties and football games."

"That... Sounds wonderful." Revali admitted, turning around. "This was my first time at a party this big, I think."

"Ever?"

"Ever. I've only ever been to house parties, and..." He trailed off. "It was a bit... Overwhelming."

"I can imagine." Gan reached into his letterman jacket's pocket for his car keys. "You ready to get out of here, then?"

Revali nodded. "Absolutely."

And when his head felt a little foggy still climbing into the car, he thought nothing of it. Just the lingering smell of smoke on Gan's jacket.

Just the lingering...


	12. Twelve

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Link finds himself up late with homework, and it's strange that Revali hasn't gotten back to the dorm yet. Of course, it's not his job to worry...
> 
> And Revali is just making it through the weekend.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Almost forgot to post again, hopefully I'll be able to get today's Fictober out...

September 22

(Link) 

Link was used to Revali being out at strange hours, but this was getting a bit ridiculous. A situation in his stats class was currently not allowing him to sleep (hello to the first all-nighter of the semester), but he had no idea what Revali could be doing out this late. Sure, he said he had plans, but... It was really late.

But he didn't have class in the morning, and it was... Link's eyes were bleary as he checked his phone. It was 3:24 in the morning, and he was still out? Link sure as hell didn't know if the library was open that late, then again, it may be open 24/7...

Just as Link was starting to think about texting him, The jangly sound of a key attempting to undo the awful lock began. Revali stumbled in a moment after, looking disoriented and... Scared? Shutting the door behind him and quickly locking it, he hurried to the bathroom. The door closed, the fan turned on, and Link heard retching a few seconds afterward. The shower turned on.

He really didn't think Revali would be the type to be out drinking, but... The sway in his walk was very drunk looking. There was no denying that he was not stable on his feet. Link hoped that he wouldn't slip in the shower, that could be bad.

When Revali came out of the bathroom, he looked pretty damn horrific. He had clearly attempted to wipe all his makeup off, but black smears still surrounded his eyes, and his lipstick was more pushed around than anything else. His hair had been taken out of it's braids, but it was a stringy wet mess. The bags under his eyes too, looked unnaturally dark... But that was probably just the eye makeup smeared in it. He wasn't wearing anything but a bath towel wrapped around his body.

If Link had been any more awake, he would have thought that he was crying. 

He changed into clothes quickly and effectively, Link looking away to preserve his privacy. In no time at all he heard the flat noise of him flopping onto his bed.

If Link didn't have his earbuds in, listening to music to study, he would have heard Revali's soft sobs, buried into his black pillow.

***

September 24

(Revali)

An alarm was going off; the meant it was Monday now.

Wake up. Get dressed. Put your makeup on. Do your hair. Don't think about it.

He tried his very best to just put all of Friday in the past. It would be fine - he was stronger than this. Everything would be taken care of.

Somehow, that didn't make him feel any better. 

He spent all weekend in his dorm, hiding from the world. Reading. Sleeping. Doing everything he could not to think about it.

Don't think about it, just keep going.

Deciding to forgo breakfast (his stomach was still far too nauseous for that, even though he'd barely eaten in days), he grabbed The Great Gatsby from his shelf. It was seven forty five, so he had about a half an hour before he had to leave for statistics. He had been smart to finish that assignment earlier in the week - not having to worry about it was all he could handle.

Don't worry about it. You'll be fine.

Revali shook his head, just trying his best to envelop himself into the book.

***

(Link)

When Link woke up he was greeted with the sight of the sun coming in through the window, falling on Revali as he sat on his bed, reading. The blinds on the window cast lines of shadow, making the photo nearly irresistible. He didn't take it though - it wouldn't be right to take a picture like that without asking.

Revali's bag on the floor, as well as the stack of new, unfinished stats homework, showed that he had already been up this morning. Link frowned at the thought; he was just glad he hadn't taken any 8:30 classes.

It didn't even cross his mind how distraught Revali was last night. He was just glad he was good now.

Quickly he got up, got dressed, shoved a pop tart or two down his mouth, and got going; but Revali was still just sitting on the bed, quietly reading his book. Deciding not to bother him, Link left the room and headed to class.

***

It seemed like, when Link walked into the room, everyone was whispering. He wasn't sure what about, just... Whispering. He payed it no mind, though a part of his guy still left over from high school said it was about him. Silently, he went over and sat at the desk next to Urbosa.

"Did you hear what, and I have to say allegedly, happened?" She asked, turning in her chair.

Urbosa, ever the stable one, looked like she could care less. Legs crossed, elbow on her desk, and her face was the perfect image of boredom.

"What?" Link, unlike Urbosa, found himself incredibly interested.

It wasn't his thing to gossip, in fact, he tried not to. But at the same time... He needed to know.

Curiosity killed the cat, after all. And he was probably on his last life.

"Revali was all over Ganondorf after the party last weekend, apparently." Urbosa stated plainly.

"Oh." Link frowned. "Who's Ganondorf?"

Urbosa smiled, and Link felt a bit like a little kid. "He's my older cousin, but more importantly to most people around here, he's the captain of the football team."

He nodded. "Is he nice?"

"Oh, yes." Urbosa crossed her legs the other way. "That's the strange thing - apparently, and here's where it gets odd, Gan didn't even ask Revali out - he was just all over him and then... Rejected him. Then went back to being crazy over him."

Link shrugged. "That doesn't sound right."

She laughed at that. "It's only a big deal because Gan is so outspoken - and his team spreads information pretty quickly, whether he wants them to or not. I'm guessing it was just a drunken night out at a party. Speaking of which, where is he?"

"Who?"

"Revali," Urbosa clarified, glancing at the door. "He should really be here by now, shouldn't he? He's always early."

Link nodded. "He does like to be early. I don't know - he was reading when I left the dorm."

"Ah..." Urbosa clicked her tongue. "He really is always in a book."

Feeling a bit repetitive, Link nodded again. "He'll be here on time."

Urbosa hummed in agreement, then got out her notebook. Sensing that the conversation was over, Link turned forward in his desk. Wait-

Gan. Wasn't that the name he had seen the other week? Revali's boyfriend? Link's head spun with the new information. That could easily have been why Revali looked... Like that, when he got back to the dorm. 

What if he got dumped by a guy who wouldn't even admit they were a couple?

Or... What if that guy just platonically calls people babe, or whatever the pet name had been. Maybe Revali had read the signs wrong. As attractive as he was, with Revali's attitude Link guessed that he didn't date many people.

Are there even any people to date in Alaska? He had never even heard of... Table, or wherever he said he was from. And with how he reacted to meeting other queer people, Link didn't think he had much experience.

Link shook his head. He couldn't rely on the gossip spread by the football team; he'd just have to ask his roommate... No matter how sullen he had been these past weeks.

Of course, that's when Revali chose to make his entrance. It was fairly warm outside, but he wore full length leggings and a heavy sweater. That wasn't out of place for the other students, but to be covering up that much for Revali? It felt unnatural to barely see any of his gorgeous skin. A bright blue scarf was wound around his neck, great big sunglasses covered most of his face, and his wispy blue hair was piled into a messy bun on the top of his head. In his hand was a mug, which seemed to be empty by the way he didn't bother much to keep it upright.  
He crept more than walked to a desk in the back, drooping into his seat after slinging off his backpack. If not for his elbow propping his head up on the table, Link think he was about to melt into a puddle on the floor.

Mr. Hyrule walked in, and class started as usual; but Link couldn't get his thoughts off of Revali.

***

(Revali) 

Revali suffered through class, wishing he had emailed in sick. He felt like he was about to vomit, but that might have jut been his breakfast of champions: two cups of coffee, straight black. He couldn't stomach anything else; he knew that for certain.

He'd be fine. He could pull himself together. It would be fine.

Steadying his hand, Revali focused on his notes. They seemed more detailed, more beautiful than normal... If only because that was to keep his mind off anything else. He couldn't focus on that right now - he had English.

And he'd never focus on that again. He could force himself to forget it. 

Class was over before he blinked, at least that's what it felt like. His notes progressed, he learned about all those little English things he already knew, and now it was over. Except-

Oh no. The scheduled Wednesday "Everyone pile into Link and Revali's dorm" study time. In better circumstances, it might have been fun. But recently? It had been hell. He couldn't stand their little chatter, their little questions...

Shaking his head, he put his stuff back into his backpack. He was good - he'd be fine. Not like he felt like retching into the nearest trash can, screaming at anyone who'd listen, tearing his own skin off... definitely not. He could think about The Great Gatsby, how wrong it all is and how everyone thinks they could never fall into a mess that elaborate. He could force himself to focus.  
Shakily, he pulled himself to his feet and wobbled over to where the group was talking.

"Everyone's coming over to study, I'd imagine?" He said, trying his best to keep his voice even.

Daruk raised an eyebrow, gave him a once-over, then nodded. "I mean, it's Monday, but that works for me."

Wednesday. Was he really thinking it was Wednesday?

And what was with the... Look. Oh. Right. Revali thought about the sweater, leggings, and sunglasses that made up his current appearance, his favorite scarf wound around his neck. It was nothing like he had been doing, that was for sure; but it felt... Safer, while still maintaining that he was not going to just wear sweatpants. Sloppy, but not a complete mess.

Revali inwardly groaned; maintaining appearances was hard.

"If that's alright." Daruk shrugged. "You're not busy this week?"

Oh, right. Last week he had been hanging out with —

Revali swallowed. "I've got all the time in the world."

***

(Link)

Mipha and Zelda were the last to leave the dorm, still chatting about the intelligence of octopi as they left. He knew that they were smart, but Link never knew that they were that smart; it was pretty incredible. Some of that stuff was crazy. Go figure - but Mipha knew a lot on the topic and Zelda would listen to basically anything she had to say.

Link smiled to himself. Those two would be so cute... As soon as one of them stepped up to make the move. It had to happen eventually, it was so obvious that she liked Mipha, and vice versa.

Then again... Link let his eyes trail over to Revali. He was sitting on his bed, cross-legged, finishing up his stats homework. He was always on top of everything, it seemed; the group project, his homework, when it was his turn to clean the bathroom - everything was always finished with him. Efficient was a good word for him, most of the time. 

Though, apparently it sounds like he's not too in control of his love life. Link frowned. The real question was what the truth would end up being.  
Taking a deep breath, Link tried to parse it out again. He had been texting Gan all romantically, and now the news was that Revali had rejected him without there being any interest?

Maybe Revali interpreted Gan as being interested? 

Link stared at him a little more intently, trying to see if he could get any more information. All he got was that Revali chewed on his lip a little bit as he worked, which made Link's face burn. He was too cute; he couldn't stand it.

Or maybe the rumors weren't true, they were dating, and Revali broke up with him. No - the other way around; maybe Gan broke up with Revali. That would make sense with how he had come home late, with how he had been acting all day. Then again, he had talked about more things than the project today. That was certainly an improvement from before. He had gone really quiet for a while there, just reading or texting or doing whatever he did while everyone else hung out. 

But Gan had been the one texting romantically, hadn't he? So they were together... Or something. Link shrugged, deciding to leave it at that. Maybe, if Revali stayed open like this, he'd tell him about it.

Link let his eyes wander back over at how Revali bit his lower lip, how his brows were drawn down in a tight line of concentration. He was really, truly beautiful, and it was hard to focus on anything else when he was in the room. Less makeup seemed to be covering his face today, making him look incredibly genuine; not that looking like an Instagram model was a dishonest thing, but he seemed more like himself when he was like this. Link hadn't noticed how he had little tiny freckles near the corners of his eyes before, or the acne scars on his cheeks. Those little things were, well, human.

Whatever had happened with Gan, Link decided he would try to get to the bottom of it... But in a supportive way. He didn't want to hurt Revali, even with his tendency to be an asshole and come home late and text while all of their friends were together - there was just something different about him.

Something just... Something just didn't fit right. And he would get to the bottom of it. Curiosity killed the cat, and he was about to die again.


	13. Thirteen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Revali is holed up in his room, unable to go anywhere but class, anymore. And with no one around...
> 
> He's all alone, with everything falling apart.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AHHHH

September 25

(Revali)

Revali couldn't get himself go to the library unless he absolutely had to, and even then never alone. He knew that was when things were getting bad over the weekend, but... he couldn't say anything. He didn't want to talk to anyone, to see anyone, even.

All he wanted to do was hide from the world.

Which worked pretty well. Besides, Harth was busy with his daughter, and the only other people he really hung out with were the group project. They had their system together of studying together after class on Wednesdays, so that was basically all the socializing he had to do; it would be weird for him to want to spend more time with them, wouldn't it? Since they all seemed so wary about him? Revali didn't know. It was all just so... 

It was funny, in a way, reading about Gatsby's extravagant parties while he was eating Oreos in his dorm, not having left the room for anything but school since the weekend.

Fuck, it had only been that weekend. 

Revali swallowed, squeezing his eyes shut and trying to push the nausea down. What's done was done, and he couldn't do a thing about it. All he could do was learn how to clean himself up and move on. No one knew except — and well... He couldn't even think about his name. He didn't know what he would do if he had to hear it. If he had to hear people cheering for him, the local celebrity, captain of the football team.

But anyway. Moving on. 

Schoolwork. He needed to make sure that his grades didn't suffer. Revali knew that he didn't have anything due that he didn't know about, but he checked blackboard again anyway. As he expected: nothing new. It was like the opposite of what his dad- 

Since when did he call him dad? He wasn't his dad, he was Teba. His dad was- 

The smell of smoke tingled at the edge of his senses, and Revali recoiled like he had been punched in the gut. What was done was done, and he couldn't do anything to save them. There was nothing he could do about it.

Still, against his better reason, he ended up with Bird cuddled under his arm. The stuffed animal was a surprising size: nearly the size of a real raven. Its soft fabric had long since lost the smell of smoke.

Anywhere, where was he? Blackboard was open on his laptop, with no new assignments. Great. It was just the opposite of what Teba said would be true before he left; he had nothing to do and lots of time to do it. 

Of course, that probably wouldn't be true if he had more friends, but... 

Revali shuddered at the thought. How would he even meet anyone? He wasn't about to go to the library, alone at least, he couldn't raise the courage to go to one of the clubs or groups that met around campus, and the only people he currently talked to were the ones he had to talk to for his grades. 

Maybe he'd strike up a conversation in class. His Creative Writing's class was good, and there was that one guy who always wore the Hawaiian shirts... Was his name Kass? Revali couldn't quite remember, but that sounded right. He looked nice enough; tired, but nice enough. Besides, what did he have to lose?

Everything, Revali reminded himself, shuddering again. 

"No more second chances."

He could talk to people in class, but he couldn't meet up with them out of class. How was that? It felt like a good compromise to his nerves... Except it didn't. It was better to appear completely aloof and separate than let anyone hurt him again.

"I should call Saki," He said to himself with a groan, setting down his laptop and leaning back against the wall. "She'd know what to do."

Except, for her to know what to do Revali would have to open his mouth and tell her what happened. He couldn't write it out, he couldn't say it - there was nothing he could figure out to tell anyone.

Plus, there was the text. 

Revali pushed his phone farther away from him, as if distance from it would equal distance from him. Curling up on himself, he focused on Bird in his arms. Squeezing it tight to his chest, he tried to pretend that would make this all go away. It hadn't worked in the past, it han't worked when anything had happened before, but he still tried it now.

It was one of those things he was still ashamed of, but he could never let go. Hell, he had to have Bird in his carry-on, not his suitcase coming down here because he couldn't bear the thought of losing the only bit of family he had left.

The Christmas card glared at him from above his desk, and he frowned. The only bit of original family, he guessed. He'd had plenty of 'family's after them, and now it was Teba and Saki, who weren't his parents. They were just another family he was with, just for a little longer and a little better than the rest.

He knew he was lying, just making himself sound untouchable to make himself feel better just like all the school counselors always said, but he didn't care. He didn't need anyone else; he could get through anything. Alone, if that was how it had to be. 

...except Bird sitting in his arms, staring up expectantly with his beady, black eyes. 

Revali groaned, sitting up straight and cracking his neck. He would go, do something, anything - if only it would get him out of this dorm. His side of the room just felt cold and empty, the books and the picture on his desk only serving the purpose of making it feel more lonely. They were like a reminder that an outside world existed in a prison cell.

Link's side of the room, on the other hand... His trans pride flag had hung proudly since Revali had inadvertently reminded him about it, along with multiple little photographs of his. A couple of photo-booth pictures of him and Zelda were stuck there too, and little posters from this or that. 

It looked so... Alive, which only served to make him feel more dead.

He had to get out of this place - except, of course, the one problem. There was only one place on campus that he would regularly go alone, and that one place was the library.

And he couldn't. He couldn't bring himself to go to the library.

Growling in frustration, Revali threw Bird across the room. He hit the wall with a disproportionate thwack (courtesy of one of his little eyes, no doubt) and fell onto Link's bed. It looked so wrong there, on top of his brightly colored blanket. It was practically the only dark-colored thing sitting there with its fat little body and one singed wing.

"Quoth the raven, Nevermore." Revali muttered, staring into its beady little eyes.

He hated the thing sometimes, and he swore he'd get rid of it one day. It was the one thing he had saved, the one thing he had made a difference with. And now? There was nothing he could do.  
Instantly regretting his decision to throw it across the room, Revali got up and retrieved Bird. He could never get rid of it for real, after all. The one time he had really tried Teba had gotten it back from where he'd thrown it into the woods, and it was on his bed when he got back home. At least, that was the only explanation for it being on his bed when he got home; Revali wasn't that superstitious. 

At least, he claimed not to be - but people and places could still be bad luck, or worse: cursed. He himself was bad luck, he thought to himself as he looked at his side of the room once more. It was empty and cold, just like him. There were places that were worse and Revali really hoped the library wouldn't become a cursed place for him because he really needed to be able to use it in the future, especially for Creative Writing. 

Names had power too; which is why Revali refused to say or think about his. He just couldn't do it.

Groaning, Revali got up from his bed and got to work. First he straightened his bed, then his desk, then made the tiniest attempt to organize his makeup. When that task proved too tedious, he sat back down, grabbed The Great Gatsby, and began to read it again.

After all, you could never be too familiar with the story of people falling in love with the wrong people, then dying horribly. So much fun. Not. He really did enjoy the book, but the wrongness of the whole thing was starting to wear on him.  
Maybe it was the fact that — had been in a relationship with someone else the entire time he was flirting with him, as Revali had recently learned. His boyfriend, a pretty, freshman photography student with bleach blonde hair, had made several appearances on his Instagram recently, as if he was showing him off.

So, maybe he had been stalking his Instagram, forcing himself to look at tat face to get over it, even though he couldn't even think about his name. Maybe he couldn't stop himself from thinking about him, no matter how much it made him feel ill. It hurt, and he couldn't stand it, and he wanted to scream, and-

Why had he done it? Revali couldn't even bring himself to think through the words of what he had done to him. 

Forcing down the thoughts about him, Revali went back to The Great Gatsby.

Back into the world of wrongness, of people falling in love and making bad choices and dying in the end - and it's all for nothing.

***

(Link) 

Link pushed open the door, tossing down his backpack and keys.

"Hey, Revali." 

Revali stiffened, eyes wide, long fingers clutching tight to the cover of The Great Gatsby. "...hey."

He could acknowledge that now definitely wasn't the time to ask him out, as beautiful as he looked sitting like that, looking a little startled, his wispy hair floating around his face. The guy had practically just gotten broken up with... Maybe, possibly, who knew? 

But you know what it was the right time for?

"Do you want to go get some ice cream or something?" He offered, still trying to sound low-key.

Revali narrowed his eyes. "Why?"

"'Cause life is hard, and ice cream is delicious."

He was expecting Revali to scoff like he always did, to roll his eyes, to go back to his book. That was what he always seemed to get, anyway, but-

"Deal."

A laugh bubbled up from Link's throat. "For someone who asked so skeptically, I didn't expect you to agree so quickly."

"I've..." He trailed off, setting down his book. "Had a rough few days."

"What's going on?"

And just like that, Revali clammed up.

"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to." Link added, grabbing his car keys again. "I get that. Nothing some ice cream can't fix."

"Yeah." He agreed, snagging a pair of sunglasses before heading out the door. "And I probably should just get out of the dorms."

"When was the last time you were out of the dorms other than for class?"

Revali winced. "Friday?"

"Friday!?" Link's eyes grew wide. "It seems like I'm going to have to drag you around more places, because that is way too long."

"That's only..." He counted on his fingers. "Three whole days."

"Two of those days were the weekend." Link pointed out.

"And?"

"And?" He stopped in disbelief. "I mean, I guess you do like to read a lot, so that's not nearly such a big thing to you."

"Well, yeah... Though, I could afford to get outside, I could admit."

"Yeah you could." Link agreed with a huff. "That's a while for not having gone outside."

"But I do walk everywhere." Revali stated. "So that at least must give me some merit."

He couldn't help cracking up. 

"What's so funny?"

Link shrugged. "You talk kind of like a Jane Austen character, too."

Revali raised an eyebrow. "What kind?"

"What do you mean?"

"Am I the vindictive sister who doesn't want her brother to marry into a lower class? Am I the stuck-up suitor? Am I the well-meaning but naïve girl who had stumbled into the graces of her more wealthy relatives?"

Link just laughed harder. "That would only matter to you, you know."

He blushed, pushing open the outside door. "Well now you have me wanting to know, damn it."

"I... Don't really know enough about Jane Austen to tell you. It's just the way you talk, I guess."

Revali nodded. "That's... Fair. Where are you parked?"

"Over there, gentle... person."

He snorted. "Okay, you don't have to go that far."

"What do you mean?" Link smiled. "May I escort you?"

He offered his arm.

Revali rolled his eyes, but - with the grace of a true aristocrat - accepted the gesture and walked to the vehicle in silence.

Then, upon reaching the beat up little Jeep, they both burst out laughing.

"A little anticlimactic, maybe?"

"You think?" Link snorted. "Come on though, let's go."

***

Maybe halfway back from the store, in between bites of Triple Dark Chocolate Brownie Fudge, Revali broke the silence.

"Link? Thank you."

And he blushed, fighting a smile the rest of the trip back. Because he might not do anything else right by Revali on a regular basis, but those little moments of making him happy? Those were worth the world.


	14. Fourteen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's the beginning of October now, and the group gets together to study... Or just snack on candy corn.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this is late, I had the SAT yesterday, and... (Excuses)

October 3

(Link)

"Happy October!" Daruk announced as he closed the door to Link and Revali's dorm, shaking a cloth grocery bag. "I bring the best gift of all: Halloween snacks."

"By Halloween snacks, do you just mean candy corn?" Revali raised a perfect eyebrow.

Link wrinkled his nose. He hated candy corn, couldn't stand the stuff. It was one of the very few foods that he almost couldn't make himself eat. The texture was like... It was just awful. And the sugar hurt his teeth.

Daruk grinned wide. "You bet!"

He groaned. 

Revali, on the other hand, seemed to perk up. "Did you get the kind that are shaped like little tiny pumpkins?"

Daruk tossed him a bag, and Revali caught it reflexively. Link was surprised to hear him giggle in a way not unlike a child. It was absolutely adorable. 

"Also, we saw just each other on Monday, which was the first day of October." Mipha reminded.

Daruk shrugged. "True, true, but today I have snacks."

Revali cut the bag open with a pair of scissors that had been on his desk, and popped a little mini pumpkin into his mouth.

Zelda reached over and grabbed a handful of them. "I feel festive as fuck."

"Well, I guess that's our 'procrastinating doing anything on this project' conversation today: what's everyone gonna be for Halloween this year?" Daruk sat down on the floor near Link's feet. "I'll go first, I have no fucking clue. People have started telling me Sexy Santa Claus would be good though."

Zelda snorted. "Well, that would certainly be memorable."

"Hell yeah. Gotta use my assets." He began stroking his beard. "What about you, 'Bosa?"

Urbosa shrugged. "I don't know. I'll probably think of something last minute."

"Same." Zelda shrugged. "I'm open to suggestions."

Link perked up. "Weiss."

She sighed. "I have no clue who that is."

"No!" Link's hands flew at lightning speed. "We watched that show together, remember? She's the one you decided was totally a lesbian? That one with the creep dad?" 

"Oh! That one!" She nodded. "Maybe, that'd be really complicated."

"We do have all month." Revali reminded. "Though, I'll probably just wear cat ears or something. Halloween costumes aren't exactly the highest on my priority list."

"A classic." Link grinned. "I'm a mouse. Duh."

He chuckled. "Precisely. Wait, what day is Halloween on this year?"

"Gimme a sec." Zelda pulled out her phone. "Wednesday."

"Great, I'll just wear pink." Revali smirked. "Mipha?"

"I really don't know either." She shrugged. "I was medusa one time though. Maybe I'll repeat that."

Daruk whistled. "How'd you manage that?"

"I attached little toy snakes to some of my braids, then just dressed... Grecian?" She explained. "It was pretty simple, I can pull up some pictures..."

Link swore Zelda was about to start drooling, and Revali appeared to have noticed too. They made eye contact, glanced over at her again, then smiled. Link waggled his eyebrows, and Revali had to look away to keep from laughing.

Link could feel the color rising in his cheeks now, just from looking at him. This was getting ridiculous. He would have to tell him soon, so that Zelda would have to tell Mipha and they could all just stop drooling over each other.

But he shouldn't just spring that on him too soon; especially after the whole... Thing with Gan. Even if that was still unclear.

"Li-ink?" Revali said in a sing-song voice. "Your turn."

"I'll just wear my Halloween shirt." Link shrugged. "It's worked so far."

Zelda groaned, rolling her eyes. "You've worn that shirt for the past three years, Link. Don't you think it's time for something new?"

"It's hilarious!" He argued. "It's a normal tee shirt with 'costume' written on it. I found it at a thrift store sophomore year, and now I don't have to worry ever again."

Revali snorted back a laugh. "That's awful."

"I agree." Urbosa added. 

"Same."

Link pouted. "Come on, guys! Mipha?"

She shook her head.

He sighed, crossing his arms.

"Oh! You have that bunny hat, you know." Revali pointed out. "You could easily be the cartoon character on your blanket. Blue tee shirt, blue shorts, and white thigh highs and you'd be set."

Link blushed at the thought of Revali wanting to see him in thigh highs, but kept that to himself. "I could be Fionna."

"That's a whole lot better than the shirt." Zelda agreed. "Good thinking, Revali."

He shrugged. "I don't watch the show, personally, I just see his bed all the time."

"Great. Now that we've got that out of the way..." Urbosa slid her laptop out of her bag. "Someone proofread what I have so far. I feel like this is too choppy."

***

Link had never been a very big Halloween person. It was weird. Everyone assumed he was automatically, but it just... Wasn't his holiday. He liked it well enough, but it wasn't a really big deal to him. But, if it wasn't obvious by the 'everything I own is black' thing Revali had going on, it was a big deal to him. 

"You really like Halloween, don't you?" Link asked, trying to look at Revali, but settling instead for looking at the pumpkin on his sweater.

He nodded. "Yeah, why?"

"I don't know... I guess you have to celebrate as a kid to really enjoy it." Link shrugged. "My grandpa never really wanted me out alone, and he couldn't come with me."

"Makes sense." Revali yawned, leaning back on on his bed. "My parents-" he sucked in a breath. "They were really strict about that kind of thing, but... I still love it. You can be anyone, anything you want."

He nodded. "That's a trans mood."

Revali laughed, hard, and Link couldn't help but blush. "It really is, isn't it? I never thought of it like that."

"I mean, you can be anyone." Link stared at his hands, unable to look up at Revali. "Why not be the person you really are?"

"True." He yawned again. "I never really treated it like that. I mean, the other boys... I grew up with, weren't exactly tolerant of me dressing..." He gestured to himself. "Femininely, I guess."

"Shit, that sucks."

Revali laughed. "Yeah, but I'm not there anymore. I moved, and things got a lot better there."

"That's good." Link nodded. "I'm glad that you don't have to deal with that anymore."

"Well, I mean, I still do." 

"Well... Yeah. But at least not from them, right?"

"Well, yeah." Revali sat up, crossing his legs and stretching his arms over his head. "The world's just shit all over. Imagine that: being a nonbinary, trans feminine, person of color makes people uncomfortable."

"I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault; besides, being a selectively mute trans guy can't be easy either." He pointed out. "The world is just terrible... Unless, of course, you're a straight, white, cis, neurotypical, abled, rich man."

"Yeah..." Link reached for his bag, pulling out To Kill a Mockingbird. "Precisely."

Revali snorted. "Extremely appropriate book entrance... Though I think Their Eyes were Watching God may be an even more appropriate example."

He shrugged. "Mipha has that one, so I didn't have it on hand nearly as easily."

"True... Sometimes I wonder..."

"What is it?" Link leaned forward.

"Sometimes I wonder if Mr. Hyrule put all the queer kids together on purpose." Revali swallowed. "It does seem fishy that all of us got put together."

"True... But how would he have known? And he pulled the names out of a hat."

"Pulling names out of a hat is easy to fake. And I mean, all of us but you and Zelda have colored hair, and he knows you two." He explained, picking at his nails. "It's easy to look at me and guess, or Mipha, for that matter."

Link nodded. "I don't want you to be right, because he's an asshole, but... You might be right."

"But what would that even mean?"

They both stay in an awkward silence, neither wanting to dare say a thing. Was he trying to sabotage all of their grades? Link didn't think Zelda's dad would try something that nasty, but he still didn't want to risk saying it. 

"It's probably nothing." Link waved the idea off. "It should all be fine, right?"

"Right." Revali said, but he didn't sound convinced. "Anyway, I have a paper I should probably be working on, so..."

"Oh, yeah." Link nodded. "I should probably get to work on that stats homework."

"Alright. Nice talking, though." Revali yawned again. "Even if you don't really like Halloween."

Link laughed. "Yeah... Right. It was great."

And they both went to their other things... But all Link wanted to do was talk to him, about anything and everything. His heart was still pounding in his chest, so close to Revali, and yet so far.

***

Even after Link got that stats homework done, his mind wouldn't just be at ease. It felt like he was running circles on a hamster wheel, sometimes, just doing the same things over and over for no reward. Sure, his friends liked him okay, but did they really care about him? He wasn't failing in any of his classes, but was he doing well? He was doing okay in college, but did he know what he was going to major in? It seems like no matter how hard he tried, the results were just mediocre.

At least his photography club liked him; at least, one guy in it did.

He kept trying to get close to Revali, but every time he thought he took a step closer it felt like Revali took two steps back. Was it something wrong with him, or was it just the wrong time?

Sighing, he flopped facedown on his bed. Grandpa wouldn't want him to stress about his major, or about his future... But he wasn't here now, was he?

He hated that. He wished that his grandpa could still be here so that he could go on too long of road trips to go see him on weekends, so he could still listen to his stories. But of course, that driver had to be drunk...  
Link shook his head. Grandpa wouldn't want him to be thinking like that. He would want him to do the brave thing: forgive them.

Still, it was hard to be brave.

***

(Revali)

How Link fell asleep facing completely face down into his pillow, Revali had no idea. Quite frankly, he was too afraid to ask. How was he breathing?

Sighing at himself, he decided to just shut his laptop down. The paper was mostly written anyway, he could proofread in the morning. Thankfully, it wasn't for the actual English class. Other teachers tended to be more lenient, he had noticed. 

Why did he keep shutting down conversations with Link?

The thought startled him, making him shut his computer faster than normal. He had noticed that he ended every conversation they had, but...   
But it wasn't something that he had picked up on... Right?

So what if he did? Revali didn't need him around, even if he was... 

He looked over at Link again, at how his blonde hair fell over his whole head, covering his face entirely. He was all spread eagle, one leg hanging over the edge of the bed. It was true, he was a little messy, but...  
The trans flag on the wall was so proud. Some cartoon character smiled proudly on the blanket that was draped half over his legs. Everything on his desk, his shelves, everything was cute and bright colored. He was so alive, and Revali...

He hadn't felt that alive in a long time. He felt brighter when he was with Link. That kind of life was intoxicating, addictive. And it scared him. As soon as he started getting attached... 

Revali swallowed. He couldn't do this right now. What he really needed to be focused on was school... And maybe a shower to clear his head. That would be a good idea, if he could just get Link off his brain.

But he couldn't. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't stop wishing that he felt that way too.

That wasn't what love was, but... Link made him feel that way. And maybe that's what friendship was.

...right?


	15. Fifteen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Link tries to gain his courage.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Really really fucking late. I know. I am a mess, I have a lot of excuses and none of them good - I'm just burnt out, honestly.

October 4

(Link)

Link was trying very hard, with little success, to bring himself to ask Revali out. He tried everything. Zelda promising to ask Mipha out if he did it? Not swaying the butterflies in his stomach one bit. 

Things had been going really good between them, though. It wasn't like their awkward back and forth between talking and not talking that was going on for so much of the beginning of the semester - they were really just friends, and it was going really good. They could just chat about Halloween, or homework, or whatever book he was reading for fun that went way over Link's head...

But how were you even supposed to ask someone out in the first place? As a trans guy in small town Wyoming, the dating pool wasn't just small - it was nonexistent... As much as they had joked about Revali having never met another queer person. He didn't have any of that experience, only what he had seen in TV and movies, which wasn't a good example. He knew, in reality, if he asked Revali out it probably wouldn't even matter how he did it. He'd get his answer either way: a resounding "No."

Still, it was nerve wracking to think of asking.

How did that work? He wasn't nervous when he egged Zelda's dad's house, he wasn't nervous when he got in fights after school, and he certainly was never nervous when he was out hiking alone all the time growing up. Somehow, however, he couldn't bring himself to ask his pretty roommate on a date. They could just get coffee together! It didn't have to be a big thing, and yet...

Link swallowed, trying to refocus himself on his stats homework. It was easy work, just tedious.

...Like asking someone out.

Groaning, he set down the homework and got up from his bed. Thankfully, Revali wasn't here... Though, trying to work was equally difficult whether Revali was there or not though, so maybe it would have been better if he was there. It always kept him acting like he was doing his work, anyway. 

Or, at the very least, they could chat about how their stats professor was a maniac. Who requires a bunch of freshmen to print out everything? The guy was going to singlehandedly destroy every forest left. Actually, it was between him and Mr. Hyrule on that one.

And now Link was thinking about forests, not stats, and he just missed hiking. Fuck, he was hopeless. At the very least he had to ask Revali out soon - the suspense was killing him. At least asking him would get rid of this part, this kind of tense energy. The worst answer he could get was a no, wasn't it?

So why could he still not ask?

They both liked hanging out together... At least, Link thought so. Revali laughed at his imitations of their shared professors, and he laughed at his jokes. Even if it didn't work out for them to date, going and doing something would be fun. They could just bond over something stupid if it turned out they wanted different things out of the relationship, or if he didn't want a relationship at all.

Groaning, Link flopped back onto the bed. Why did relationships have to be so hard? He wasn't even in one, and yet...

And yet.

***

He was going to die. He was going to die. This was it: eighteen years old, and he was going to die.

Link had no idea how he got here, sitting next to Revali, on his bed, running his thumbs along the evergreen pattern on his fleece blanket; all he knew was that his heart was beating out of his chest. It had started with Link complaining about being cold or something, then Revali offered to let him hold his cup of coffee because it was too hot to drink... Then Link had come over to sit on his bed just to be a little closer to him. 

But the coffee was cool enough to drink a long time ago, and Revali had, in fact, drank all of it. Link had told a joke, and he had laughed, which put him solidly on cloud nine. Just being in here like this, with only Link's shitty desk lamp on, in the mostly darkness with just enough light to keep it from being creepy, or awkward.

Romantic. That's what Link would call the lighting, and if he could snap a photo right now he would. Revali looked beautiful, picking at the edge of his paper coffee cup, his hair down, falling in thick waves around his face.

Maybe that's what possessed him to do it.

"You have such beautiful hair." Link reached over, almost touching it, then pulled back. "May I...?"

"Go ahead."

Gently, he tucked a wispy lock of behind his ear. It was impossibly soft, not at all oily feeling like his own hair. 

Revali blushed, turning his head away for a moment as if to hide. "Thank you."

"I mean it, you have really gorgeous hair." Link repeated, then ran his hand through again. "Beyond just the color."

"I know." He smiled, then froze. "I meant that I know you think it's beautiful besides just the color. That's a little vain, even for me."

Link chuckled.

"Though, I do also enjoy my hair quite a bit." Running a hand through, he stopped to work out a little tangle. "It's one of the things I've done for myself, you know? I started to grow it out back..."

He faltered, swallowing hard and blinking several times. Something about his expression betrayed something more, almost like he was holding back tears. Link wanted to know, he wanted to hear what it was bothering him, but he kept his hands still. He would know one of these days; that wasn't the kind of thing you just asked someone. Especially not a roommate that he had the rest of the semester with, and a crush he really hoped he would spend more time around.

"Back before I lived with Teba and Saki. People weren't too approving of the choice, but that was their problem, not mine. It's a big part of my identity, I think." 

"The same boys you talked about before?"

Revali faltered, then swallowed. "I told you about them? Weird. I... Suppose I forgot about that."

"Revali... Are you okay?"

"What, why would you say that?" He laughed. "I'm fine, Link. Just stressed about my classes. I'm going to be staying up late tonight, I have to finish this essay."

"You're doing great, you know that." Link reassured. 

"Yeah, but that doesn't mean I'll be doing great if I drop my guard, so..."

"Fair enough." He shrugged. "Take some time for yourself, though. You deserve it."

Revali smiled, a soft, genuine smile. "Thank you, Link."

Link wanted to tuck his hair behind his ear, to run his hands through it and kiss him gently. He wanted to hold him in his arms and love on him, but... Instead he just nodded, turned away, and cursed himself for not having enough courage to say something more.

"Do you have any idea how to write about paintings? I mean, I can do music, easy. That's all about themes, and stories, and the emotions it leads you towards. But visual art..."

"Lacks some of the story?" Link guessed.

Revali gave him a nod. "Exactly. I'm a storyteller at heart, and often pictures just... They don't have that kind of feel to them. The narrative."

"Well, if you show me..."

He sighed, then grabbed his phone. "Alright. It's for my Creative Writing class. Each of us were assigned an artist, and we have to write about three of their paintings or photographs."

"That's actually pretty cool." Link tucked his legs up underneath him. "Which artist did you get?"

"Cézanne."

"Apples."

Revali stifled a laugh. "What?"

"He painted still-life's, didn't he? Lots and lots and lots of apples?"

"I guess? Here, help me find a few pieces I like."

They ended up settling on a few, even though Link was far more intent on the apples than Revali was. Still, he could tell that he wasn't being too annoying. Making the project fun had its value, too.

"I like this one, for certain." Revali commented, staring at Woman in a Green Hat. "She looks like she's watching something."

"Waiting." Link agreed. "On the edge of her seat. Something almost seems... Disquieted about her."

"It's like she's looking for a chance to run." He marked down the name of the painting in his notebook, then kept scrolling. 

"I'm just saying, you should do Basket of Apples." Link insisted. "They all look like they're about to roll away."

"Why does every piece of his art look like it's scared? Even the fruit was effected..."

"What about Large Bathers?" He snickered. "Their faceless appearances and precarious leaning makes them more than a little freaky."

"And at the same time..." Revali furrowed his brow. "They all seem close to each other. It feels like you, the observer, are the one intruding."

"...are you sure that you're bad at this?"

"Link, I'm stating the obvious things." He sighed. "They want you to dig deeper than that here."

"...I think you're digging pretty deep."

"You think so?" Revali shook his head. "I'm probably just overthinking. My essay will be fine; I'll be perfect. Besides, we have a workshop later this week, and peer reviews will always be helpful."

Link cracked a smile. "If you can accept their advice."

"Hey! That was one time, and that guy was an idiot."

"Was that the guy with the teal hair?" 

"Yep." Revali clarified, nodding. "Receding hairline, plus damage from bleaching it so much, for certain. It look so fried, you could serve it over rice and call it breakfast."

"Did you ever find out his name, or will we call him 7/11 guy forever?" 

He snorted. "To be fair, he does work at 7/11... But his name is Fyson."

Link blinked. "What kind of name is Fyson?"

"I know, right? Then again... My name is Revali."

"If you don't mind me asking..."

Revali sighed, tossing his hair. "To be honest, I don't know."

"Seriously?"

"I mean, I've looked it up every way imaginable. I... Don't know the origin. There are a few laughable meanings I've found online: the Hindi translation is close to 'housewife,' so..."

Link chuckled.

"Haha. Laugh all you like. Homemaker, housewife, whatever. In some dialect of Spanish, I believe, though I may not have it right, 'Reveli' means 'reveal.' So that's a possibility, but... I, personally, like the approximate Japanese translation best."

"What does it mean?"

"Rival." Revali said proudly, a glint in his electric eyes, a smirk on his perfect lips. "I'm always fighting, it seems. The name certainly fits."

Link smiled. "That's really cool."

"Well?"

"Well what?"

"What about your name?" Revali asked. "Why are you 'Link?'"

"Well... I named myself, and I thought it was cool." He explained. "Like a link of chain?"

"So it's not short for Lincoln?"

"Pfft, no." Link scoffed. "Fuck that guy."

Revali laughed, but covered his mouth to stifle it. "You really are a piece of work, aren't you?"

"Of course." He did finger guns, and Revali looked away. "Should we find at least two more paintings, so you have a choice of five later?"

"Mm, probably." Revali grabbed his phone once more. "What about The Kiss of the Muse... Never mind, I don't like it."

"Why not?"

"Too cliché, and the balance seems off."

"...you're really sure that you're bad at this?"

Revali ignored that. "Seascape is beautiful... Something about it is so soft, it draws you in."

Link nodded. "You should write that one down."

He scribbled it next to the other ones. "Woman with Parrot?"

"I mean... It's nice?"

"I just like the bird, never mind..." Revali stifled a laugh, but ended up nearly snorting. "Portrait of Uncle Dominique?"

Link jumped. "Holy shit, he's scary."

"Did Uncle Dominique actually look like that?"

He swallowed. "You've gotta wonder."

"He couldn't have..." Revali frowned. "Maybe he was just an asshole."

"Or he wouldn't sit still for the portrait."

"Yeah. Whichever way, that gets a hearty fuck no from me..." He hummed something under his breath as he scrolled through numerous portraits of various people. "Sugar Bowl, Pears and Blue Cup?"

"I like it a lot, actually."

"The pears look like they're whispering to each other." Revali pointed out, but not in a disagreeable way. "Besides, he's known for impressionist still life work. I should probably include an actual stiff life."

"Are you saying the apples are out?"

Chuckling, he kept scrolling. Eventually they got a whole long list of artworks, especially as the night went on and they lost standards. Uncle Dominique as a Lawyer, Amour in Plaster, Sorrow, The Murder, and Girl all made the list, among others. Eventually, Link's eyelids began to drift shut. All of the paintings were starting to blur together, aided by the impressionist style and the number of portraits, still life's, and landscapes. After he yawned for the fifth time, Revali finally shut off his phone. 

"Alright, you need to just get to bed." He decided, pushing him gently. "Come on, go brush your teeth."

"Mm mm." Link hummed, leaning his head over on Revali's shoulder.

"Come on, get up, you lazy..." He sighed, elbowing Link a little bit.

It wasn't enough to hurt, just enough to keep him from falling asleep. Already drifting off, Link pulled himself up and flopped onto his own bed.

"Goodnight, Link." He heard Revali whisper, right before he drifted off.

***

(Revali)

Staying up late to finish this essay was absolutely not what Revali wanted to be doing right now. Of course, he could work on it tomorrow morning, but his Creative Writing class started at eight thirty and he did not feel like getting up at ass o'clock in the morning, just so that he could work on it during class directly after; that was just counterintuitive. The break that sleep offered would be good for him, he thought...

If he got any sleep.

It had been hard lately, harder than he really wanted to admit. He could toss and turn for hours, but he never really felt... Safe. And if he did fall asleep, nightmares plagued him. 

Sighing, Revali grabbed his headphones. This would be easier with music, at least, even though listening to things just made him want to write about them. Maybe he just needed songs that reminded him of the paintings... No, that would take way too long. What he needed to do right now was write.  
He already had a segment on Woman in a Green Hat, just based off of the painting itself. If he could find more information about it... Maybe a trip to the library was in order. But, of course, walking alone...

Deciding to just say "Fuck it" to the whole thing, he decided to look up information now and come up with real sources later. The image was of Madame Cézanne, oil on canvas, painted in the final period of his life. Scant information, but it would have to do for now. A trip to the library would do more, probably. But... He got the sense that this project wasn't about the history of the artwork, it was about the appearance of the piece itself. Being able to describe things as they appear, and as they feel.

The woman's blank eyes stared out, across the painting to something out of view. The way she leaned forward seemed like a mimicry of relaxation; her whole body looked tense, and stiff. The chair, the dress, the hat, everything said that she was at a formal event of some sort, maybe just a get together, but she didn't want to be there. Watching. Waiting. Leaning forward so that she could run from some monster off canvas at the nearest opportunity.

Revali tried to block out everything else, just writing how he saw her. Once he finished with her he attached the picture, and moved on to the next one.  
But which one did he want to do? Woman with Parrot was cute, but he couldn't think of how he would write about it. Seascape, as much as he loved it, was the same. Uncle Dominique as a Lawyer was mostly put on the list as a joke, so that was taken off quickly. The Murder was a little much, but... Sugar Bowl, Pears and Blue Cup was, admittedly, nice. 

Maybe that would be his one representative still life, he thought to himself, then started writing.

***

It was three thirty in the morning by the time Revali had what he would call a very rough draft sorted out. In the end he wrote four choices, so that whoever gave him peer reviews would be able to tell him honestly if one was complete shit. 

Woman in a Green Hat; Sugar Bowl, Pears and Blue Cup; Amour in Plaster; and Basket of Apples were his final picks. As much as he hated the apples... They were inspiring at three in the morning, weirdly enough. All of the paintings had blurred together by now, though, the soft impressionist stokes tended to all look the same to tired eyes.   
Shutting his computer and putting it on his desk, Revali yawned. Right now he needed to brush his teeth, wash his face, put his hair up, and...

His hair. He blushed thinking about the way Link had gently run his fingers through, tucking his hair behind his ear. He was so gentle, and the little way he smiled...

Revali was still smiling when he went to bed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love Cézanne, the paintings are all real and great


	16. Sixteen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Revali works more on his project, tries not to think about Link, and maybe... Maybe makes a friend

October 5

(Revali)

Not so surprisingly, not many people were at the library at six thirty in the morning. If Revali could help it, he wouldn't be there either, honestly. But sources were important... To him, anyway. Sure, they didn't have a formal list of sources due, but it would be good to find what other people felt about the pieces he had chosen.

That, and he slept a grand total of two hours last night.

Glancing around, he watched as the girl he had walked here with peeled off to the ancient history section. Her name was Jules, and she was a women's studies major currently working on a paper she had due in one of her ancient civilizations classes. She hadn't made the most sense when Revali talked to her, but just meeting someone else on his way to the library at ten past six was a miracle, so he wouldn't complain. Besides, he doubted he was making much sense either. 

Stepping forward towards one of the computers, he took another cursory glance. There was a girl with a mess of red hair sleeping at a table, using a thick textbook as a pillow. A man with a pink fraternity tee shirt on was hurriedly cramming for a test, by the looks of it. The same bored looking goth girl sat in the corner like she normally did, looking less interested in her book than ever. Her cat ears were black and plasticky looking today, and they had fallen forward like a pair of tiny triangular horns.

No sight of him. Good. 

Looking up Cézanne was easy, as well as a couple of books on impressionism in general, just to give him a reference as to how they talk about the art pieces. Still, his Creative Writing teacher, a short woman who demanded they all just call her Traci, echoed in his head.

"You're a good writer, you just have to put your heart into it." She explained, handing him back a paper he had gotten a B on. "When I can feel that from you, that's when you'll be great."

It stung a little, to hear that he wasn't already great, but he was getting better. Last time she told him that he was getting there, that she could almost sense who he was somewhere in the quick, fictional short story he had written last time. He had an A in that class, but only just barely.

This time, he had to do better. He had to describe these paintings in his own words, in his own way... Which meant that these books wouldn't help at all.

Frowning, Revali moved away from the computer and sat himself at one of the tables. Pulling out his laptop, he got to work revising what he already had done. He reused too many words, he could already tell. Describing was difficult for him, that lack of a plot line, the impartiality of the brush strokes. But maybe, just maybe, he would make this work.

No, he would make it work. He didn't question himself, not anymore. This essay would be perfect.

***

"Wow. I mean, these are wonderful, but... Are you okay?"

The girl reading through Revali's essay, a chubby white-haired nerd named Paya, pushed her red glasses up on her nose. Her eyebrows were scrunched in concern, head tipped just a little to the side.

"Of course I am. Why?"

"Your analyses are just a bit... Dark." She shrugged, that same scrunch staying in her brows. "I was just wondering if you're doing alright. There's - I mean, there is a school counselor that you could-"

"I really am fine." Revali interrupted. "That's just how I read the pieces. Now... Was there one paragraph that wasn't as strong? We only need three, after all."

Paya took a moment, pursing her full lips together in thought, then nodded. "Amour in Plaster. I just felt like there wasn't quite as much feeling with that one."

"Thank you." He gave her a thin-lipped smile; he had really hoped for Basket of Apples to be the one that didn't work out, just to spite Link, but such was life... Still life. "I'll get other opinions, of course, but thank you for your input."

"That's - You're welcome." She stammered, then handed Revali's laptop back to him. "Will you read mine?"

"Sure."

"I got Monét, which I was pretty excited about... Until I realized how hard it was to really describe it. I think I did okay? Though..."

"Mm." Revali hummed as he read through, highlighting any grammatical issues he found. 

All in all, her's was good. The descriptions were vibrant, fully matching the paintings. He thought it was funny that she, with her pastel sundress, leggings, and cardigan in October, got the artist famous for his soft colored lily pads, but he kept quiet about that. He didn't think that the teacher had picked artists for each of them based on their appearances, but... He wouldn't put it past her. Upperclassmen who had taken her class said that she would be seen gossiping about students, sometimes. Gross.

He hoped that she had nothing to do with that rumor about he and —; that would be... Scary. He doubted it, though. Unless he, for some reason, took an advanced writing class, he would never have taken a class with her. But if she was a football fan...  
Swallowing, he went back to Paya's paper, corrected the last few things, and handed her papers back. 

"The concept and writing is good, just a few little areas that could use grammatical fixes. You're definitely a strong writer."

"Thank you!" She smiled, blushing a little bit. "You really think it's good?"

Revali raised an eyebrow. "I wouldn't tell you it was unless I meant it, trust me."

Frowning a little at first, she eventually lugged a little bit at that. "You're really funny, you know that?"

He shrugged. "I guess so?"

"See, you don't even try." Paya smiled, tipping her head to the side again. "Would it be weird to say that... Never mind."

"What is it?" Curiosity piqued, Revali did not want to settle for a "Never mind".

"Promise you won't be offended?" She squeaked, fingers toying with the edge of her cardigan.

He scoffed. "It takes a lot to offend me." 

"You look like you could be a Cézanne painting." 

"Of course." Revali sighed in defeat, saving a few changes on his laptop. "I wondered if she did that on purpose."

Paya's little brows scrunched together again. "I don't think..."

"You're dressed like a Monét." He pointed out. "Something about me is like Cézanne, apparently. Probably the severe colors and intensity. Sophie got Théodore Géricault. Kilton looks exactly like a couple of the paintings in his paper; I think he got Francisco Goya. Sayge got John Constable... Need I say more?"

Her eyes were wide. "How do you remember all of those?"

Revali shrugged. "My... A friend from home really likes paintings. She talks once in a while about the art history classes she had to take back in college."

He could picture Saki talking about art, now, the way she always used to whenever the topic came up. It was never an overbearing thing, or a teaching thing, just... Conversational.

Fuck, now he missed her.

Paya smiled. "That's really cool. Are you going into art, too?"

"Hell no." He scoffed. "I prefer describing music, if I'm honest. I'm no visual artist."

"Except with makeup."

Revali found himself blushing despite himself. "Don't you ever get tired of being nice?"

That got her to blush as well, at least. 

"Well, I - wait." She paused, then her eyes seemed to light up. "I think the girl over there got Degas."

Revali snorted. "Of course she did. Look at how tight her bun is on the top of her head. How much hairspray do you think she uses daily? Wait... How do you know about Degas, then, famous for painting nothing but ballet?"

"I did ballet, as a kid." Paya blushed harder, staring down at the floor. "I was pretty bad at it. But we learned about Degas during drills once, from one of the older students who helped out. I guess I never forgot it."

"Interesting..."

She really did not look like a ballerina... Other than the soft pastels. That made a lot of sense.

But she was nice to talk to, and... Revali could use a few more friends. At this point he was getting a little desperate for human contact whenever Link was busy, since he wasn't really that close with the rest of the group chat, and Harth was literally always busy.

Whether or not she seemed like someone cool, though...

"Well, we should probably both get other people to review these..."

She nodded.

"But, if you wanted to, maybe we could hang out sometime?" Revali offered. "I can give you my number."

"That sounds great! Here." 

Paya passed her phone across to him, after she fumbled to open it to make a new contact. Her phone case was large, as if she dropped it a lot. He passed over his own phone, filled out his information, then passed it back.

"Wait..." She frowned. "You're Revali?"

His blood ran cold. "Why?"

"You seem so nice! People keep saying awful things about you." 

"Like what?"

"Well..." Paya looked away, her fingers worrying on the edge of her cardigan. "People are saying that you're obsessed with Ganondorf, or almost obsessed with him. I only hear it around, but..."

A pit of dread started in his stomach.

"It's not true." Revali stated. "There was an incident at a party that looked bad on his part, so now there are rumors about me everywhere."

Her eyes went wide. "Actually, that... That makes a lot of sense. That's awful, I'm sorry."

He shrugged. "What's done is done... Let's get to some actual work."

"Oh, yeah." She nodded. "Thank you!"

"...thank you." He whispered back, letting his shoulders slump.

Maybe he'd talk to Kilton, or ballet girl... But all Revali really felt like doing was going to hide. Regardless, he stood up, and made his way over. It was all he could do.

***

(Link)

Link was caught mid-yawn when Revali came in the door, entering like a whirlwind, as always. He was all long legs in his classy black tights and high waisted jean skirt, fluffy blue hair contrasting the forest green of his sweater. Slinging off his bags and setting them by his bed, he made an immediate beeline to the bathroom, just flicking on the light to check his makeup.

Link didn't know how he could be so worried about how he looked. In makeup, out of makeup, the so-called lazy days where he did everything but his eyes and wore sunglasses... He was drop dead gorgeous. It wouldn't matter, even if he had lipstick on his teeth.

He flicked off the light switch and swayed back into the room. "Hey, Link, can you help me with something? I need you to be honest, though."

In a moment, Link had his bookmark (a crumpled grocery store receipt) crammed into To Kill a Mockingbird, and Revali had his undivided attention.

"I'll need a moment to boot up my computer, since it runs so slow, but if you could read my paper and just... Tell me if it's complete shit?" He started getting the laptop out, opening it up and drumming his fingers on the surface. "I need this paper to be perfect."

Link snorted. "You need everything to be perfect."

Revali frowned. "That's not true... All of the time."

"It kind of is... In a way."

He raised an eyebrow. "How so?"

Link paused, tapping a finger against his lip. "Everything you have is so orderly, and none of it clashes. I joked about you being a Jane Austen character, but... Sometimes it is like you're just one polished, cohesive character straight out of a movie."

"I'm the one straight out of a movie?" Revali chuckled, gesturing to Link's side of the room. "You're straight out of several, with all the posters and figurines and stuff."

"You know what?" He grinned so Revali would know he was joking, leaning forward just a little bit. "You're insufferable."

He scoffed, a hand over his heart. "Really?"

"Yep." Link shook his head slowly, holding back laughter. "You're too perfect, Mr. Gale. I'm sorry, but that's against the law in these parts."

"Well, we are in Wyoming." Revali snorted.

"Hey!" He gasped, clapping a hand over his own chest. "Wyoming isn't so bad!"

"It's dead, and dry." Revali pointed out. "In this part, anyway. I don't even know what they have to do in order to get trees to grow on campus. The wind is terrible, and the weather doesn't know what it's doing, and... Yeah."

Link sighed, shaking his head. "Still..."

"Alright, the computer is finally up and running." He declared, handing it gingerly over to Link. "There's the paper, just tell me if it's any good."

Carefully poring over every word, Link read through the paper. It was nothing like the way they had to write for Prof. Hyrule. Instead, the words seemed like brush strokes, painting Cézanne's work as he continued to scroll down the page. 

Sugar Bowl, Pears and Blue Cup talked about how even the table wear seemed to be gossiping, let alone the guests. This party, this dinner, whatever the event was, was not intended for for the observer.

It almost reminded Link of how they talked about the one painting with the bathers - he forgot the name of it now, but it had the same crawling feeling. It was like being in a locker room where everyone else is talking and having a good time, while you go hide in a stall to change.

Amour in Plaster had a note beside it saying it could be scrapped, and Link thought he understood why. Something about it didn't quite flow; the painting and the writing both seemed... Halted. As if this amour, this lover, was cold as stone, silent as plaster.

He grinned a little when he reached Basket of Apples, pleased to see it had made it as a finalist. The apples seemed to tremble in fear, ready to run and hide at the drop of a hat. Despite it seeming to be the place they belonged, they clearly had no place there.

But Woman in a Green Hat was the piece that startled him most of all. Her poise, her structure, everything about her was odd; she didn't look afraid, yet she was perched on the edge of her seat, leaning forward. Her piercing gaze pulled the observers eyes to the right, off the canvas, into the world beyond.

But looking at the painting... Link could see it so clearly that was uncanny.

The woman didn't look like him, by any means, but Link could imagine the replacements. Revali in a dark green hat, hair curling around his shoulders. He was wearing that black turtleneck sweater, in Link's picture, and a pair of high-waisted pinstripe slacks. Electric green eyes peered out from under a heavy blur of false lashes, drawing everyone to look to the right, to be wary of what was coming.  
Even now, Revali sat like that, poised on the edge of his bed.

"Well?" He asked, sensing Link had finished. "How is it? Awful?"

Link passed the laptop back. "No, you're perfect."

"I know that." Revali smirked, flipping his hair. "How's the paper?"

He was ashamed to admit that he was blushing. "The paper is really good, honestly. It makes me want to take pictures."

"Well, I suppose that's a good thing."

Link nodded, but he couldn't get that image of the Woman in a Green Hat out of his head.

"And by your logic earlier, then, I'm the Jane kind of character." Revali declared.

"What?"

"From Jane Austen." He explained. "In Pride and Prejudice, Jane is the character she created to be perfect."

"I know which one Jane is." Link pointed out. "But I disagree."

"On what grounds?"

"You, Revali Gale, have the pride of Mr. Darcy."

Revali scoffed, laughing as he lightly shoved him away.

***

October 6

(Revali)

Revali woke up gasping for air at two in the morning, clutching Bird to his chest, tears running down his cheeks. It was just the dream again. The normal dream, with its... Recent twists. Nothing special. He could - he could never go back to sleep, but at least it wasn't anything out of the ordinary.

Thankfully, it didn't appear that he had been making any noise; or at least, he hadn't woken up Link. He was still sound asleep in bed, flopped unnaturally over the mattress. His fingers twitched a little bit as he snored, moving ceaselessly in his sleep.

"You're perfect."

The way Link had signed the words was so soft, so gentle. Even now it echoed in his head, making his cheeks flush and pulling his lips into a smile. He was sure he looked crazy, with the combination of having just been crying and now being almost closer to laughter, but...

Link had taken his mind off the dream completely. He made him so, so happy. Just being around him really did make Revali feel perfect, like a painting, like a scene straight out of a movie, like Jane Bennett herself.

It was like the dream was gone.

But of course, that just reminded him of what Paya said. It wasn't what she said, as much as that rumors had reached a gentle person as herself. He wondered what rumors had gone on about him, how many people knew something. It couldn't have spread too far, but Revali didn't know; it had been a while, since...

Well, it hadn't really been long at all.

Enough weekends had passed, though, for — to go to parties with completely different crowds and share whatever rumors he wanted to start. That he was a stalker. That he was obsessed. That he was a hot and cold attention whore. That he was a stuck up bitch. Whatever he wanted to say... And likelihood was that Revali had never met those people before.

Was he just going around telling everyone, hoping that it would be spread around?

Why did he care so much, anyway?

Revali squeezed Bird tighter, curling up a little tighter. Link was snoring softly, just enough to create some white noise. The blinds were already pulled shut. The door was locked. Tomorrow was Saturday, so he could sleep in. Everything that he needed to be ready for tomorrow was ready... Well, today, technically.   
But with the combination of the dream, then thinking about... About Gan, Revali didn't think he was going to get any sleep.


	17. Seventeen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A package came in the mail for Revali...
> 
> And now Link has a plan.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, it's on time this time!

October 16

(Revali)

The sound of keys struggling in the dorm room lock startled Revali out of The Great Gatsby, much to his annoyance. Link had left earlier in the afternoon to run a few errands so it didn't come as much of a surprise, but still a little bit of an irritant. He pushed open the door with all the grace of a newborn calf, and stumbled into the dorm.

Revali peered over the top of his book, but didn't so much as move.

Link regained his balance, spun in a circle as if he wasn't sure where he was going, then set down the flat-rate size box on his bed. The cloth grocery bags slung on his arms followed, landing on the floor with a worrying clunk. Finally, his backpack was slung off with a careless shrug. 

"I got Oreo's for when we study after class tomorrow... I think they're dairy free?" Link signed, in between unloading some of the contents of the grocery bags. "Mipha told me they are, so you should be good."

Revali couldn't help but smile at that, if only just a little. Link, with how... Boisterous he was, obviously paid more attention to detail than he often gave him credit for. He had only casually mentioned that he was lactose intolerant when they went out for ice cream that one time.

He was so considerate, and...

No! Stop thinking about him like that!

Recently it had been a struggle just to talk to his roommate without picking up on things like that, though. He was so kind, so considerate, he didn't give a fuck when he didn't need to... It was bad. He had it bad.

"Oh!" He shot straight up. "And this came in the mail for you."

Setting down the Oreos, Link handed over the box he had set on the bed. 

"Thanks," Revali said, closing his book and setting it down on the desk, then taking the package from him. 

Reaching over further, he grabbed his scissors from his desk, setting them down beside him on the bed. Revali didn't even need to check to see who it was from; for one, he wouldn't get mail from anyone else. For two, now that he saw it, Tulin's little scribbly drawings were all over the outside, mostly consisting of rudimentary flowers and birds. He looked at those for a moment before carefully cutting the tape, opening up the box-

Only to be sprayed with glitter, which had apparently come free from the inside. Revali blinked, and heard Link stifle a laugh. 

He shrugged. "Box from a friend?"

"My family." Revali replied, sighing as he tried to brush the stuff off. 

He knew he shouldn't have blindly trusted a box from his family that arrived four days before his birthday. That definitely hadn't been a smart idea on his part. The bastards. Tulin's cute little drawings lulled him into a false sense of security.

"Any reason, or just a care package?" Link asked.

"My birthday is Saturday." Revali answered quickly.

Link frowned. "Then should you open it yet?" 

"I could wait," Revali figured. "But it isn't the day that matters so much as the sentiment, is it?"

That seemed to go right over Link's head, if the blank stare was any indication, but he nodded. "Fair enough. Happy early birthday?"

"Thanks." And he turned his attention back to the box.

Inside was, as previously discovered, an unholy amount of glitter; a young Ke$ha would have been impressed. A can of smoked salmon (How touristy - but seriously thoughtful), the aloe lotion he had forgotten at home, a small bar of dark chocolate, a little box of bandaids, a pamphlet on local birds (They knew him too well), and a little plastic dinosaur. But what was that...

Turning over the package produced a lot more glitter, but a tee shirt also fell out onto his lap with an abnormal thud. Revali smiled, smoothing the surface of his Archery State Championship shirt. It had his last name, Gale, ironed onto the back too.  
But the shirt couldn't be the only thing there, so he flipped over the bundle and carefully unwrapped it. Inside was a book, laid face down, untouched by the glitter - unlike everything else in the box. Not trying to hide his excitement, he turned over the book in careful hands.

The Call of the Wild, and White Fang; the two books by Jack London combined into the one volume. Revali smiled, rolling his eyes at how Teba seemed to have themed it. Inside the cover was tucked a piece of lined paper.

"Happy Birthday, Revali!  
We wish you the best, and hope that you're doing well... Even though you haven't really kept in touch. (a text wouldn't hurt!) I'm happy to inform you that the glitter was Teba's idea - I hope you don't mind too much; should keep your humor good. Tulin insisted on the dinosaur, and we figured that was a good and fitting book. We love you, and hope everything there is going well!

\- Saki, Teba, and Tulin <3"

Revali smiled, running his thumb across the page. At the bottom of the letter, taped on, was a picture of the three of them together - Tulin smiling from ear to ear. That took him aback for a moment; it was a chore to get him to smile in any picture. Even in the Christmas card, he had his tongue sticking out.  
Un-taping the picture from the letter, he pinned that onto the wall along with the other one.

It looked a little less lonely. Sure, it was still a sad little dorm room, but... There were parts that almost looked liked someone lived there. Someone other people cared about.

A lump was forming in Revali's throat as he turned away. He loved them too; it was just... 

Never mind.

Now, onto organizing everything else, because it was a mess... Right?

The Call of the Wild and White Fang was placed on his desk, on top of The Great Gatsby, for now. The shirt was folded in a way to keep most of the glitter inside, and placed next to him on his bed. The smoked salmon and chocolate were also placed on the desk for the moment, after wiping off as much glitter as possible using the tee shirt. The dinosaur went back, on top of his books; and after a moment of thought the bird pamphlet was shoved under it. The bandaids were dropped into his backpack, where they would find the most use. The lotion was set on the desk for now, but would later be added to his bag of things on the shelf.

Now, for the glitter. That was a far messier, and more complicated ordeal. Revali spent a moment brushing off his own shirt and leggings, before he was interrupted by Link's little, bubbly laughter.

"Should I go get the vacuum?" He signed, stifling laughter.

As cute as he was, laughing at him had a momentary override on that.

Revali huffed. "Yes, that would be very helpful."

Still chuckling, Link got up from whatever he had been doing and went to get the vacuum.

***

Once the glitter was sufficiently cleaned up, Revali got up and got to the rest of the work, namely, to put together his space. Having the books on the desk was nice, but he needed that space. He would have to find somewhere new for them, like...

Immediately perking up the moment he noticed it, Revali moved over to the squat little dresser. He could easily see and reach the top, but that wasn't what he was about to do. The edge of the shelf just met the top part of the dresser, in a way that would hold up the books.  
Methodically, he rearranged his books to fit there. The photos stayed over his desk, to make that space a little (less like a prison cell) nicer, and the plastic dinosaur found a home on the shelf by the books. The letter was still tucked into the front page of the book, to be remembered.

Revali stepped back, and smiled. The carpet was still a dirty, ugly color, and the walls were still dirty looking; but it seemed... A little more like home. More like there was love here.

Still not safe.

Squeezing his eyes shut, Revali wished he could stop thinking that. He was safe, he'd be fine. He had blocked his number, and he didn't walk anywhere alone anymore. It was fine.

They all think you're a slut, but it's fine.

They all believe whatever he tells them.

Revali swallowed, and tried to focus on the good things. No one knew what really happened; it was all just rumors. That was it. Not so bad... Right?

No one knew the truth.

***

(Link)

Getting groceries had become a necessity at this point for Link, so much so that he chose to do so in the middle of his Tuesday with no prompting from anyone else. Incredible. He was becoming a functional personal person instead of a college student.

Well... Maybe on that one. Jury's still out.

When he was done staring wistfully at items that were not on clearance, Link headed back to the dorm with his bags. Hefting his bags, he rebalanced them on his shoulders and headed up the stairs. The elevator still wasn't fixed, and the walk up to the third floor still felt like hell with an armful of groceries. It wasn't too bad, he supposed. It certainly was nicer on days when soup wasn't on sale; having cans in his bags made it ten times worse.

At this point, though, they were all pretty sure the elevator wasn't getting fixed.

By the time he made it up to the dorm room he was so cold from the wind and tired from life in general that he nearly tripped over the package in front of the door. It was a standard flat rate size, and looked mostly normal... except for the fact that he wasn't expecting any mail.

Roommate. How has he forgotten about that so quickly? Sometimes Revali felt so far away it was like he was on a different planet, but they still lived together. He could still receive mail.

That just raised the picture of Revali writing letters, like a true Jane Austen character. Nope - he couldn't think about that. It was too perfect. The idea of him with a quill?

Anyway...

Link set down readjusted his bags so that he could closer examine the package. Sure enough, it was addressed to Revali Gale, from who he presumed to be his family. Little scribbled drawings covered most of the surfaces, likely courtesy of the toddler sticking out his tongue in the Christmas card photo. He smiled to himself, but it came with a little pang in his chest, too. He missed having family, especially since his grandpa had passed away. It felt... Lonely.

Shaking those thought out of his head, Link remembered one crucial detail: he didn't have his keys out. Fumbling the package into his right arm, he dug down in his jeans pocket to try to find his key ring. 

Finally, he located the keys, fiddled with the lock enough to convince it that it should open, and pushed his way inside. Setting down the package on his bed first, as carefully as he could considering that he didn't know what was in it, he then slung off his grocery bags. A couple of the cans must have hit each other pretty hard when he dropped them, because the loud clack that resulted almost made Link jump. That soup better be good, he thought to himself. He didn't even remember what kind he had gotten. Slinging off his backpack, Link turned his attention back to the groceries.

"I got Oreo's for when we study after class tomorrow - I think they're dairy free?" Link signed to Revali, even though he didn't think he was paying attention. "Mipha told me they are, so you should be good."

He unloaded a few things from the bags; the Oreo's in question, three cans of clam chowder, and two cans of chicken noodle soup before remembering the package again. How has it slipped his mind? Maybe he was just thinking about Revali too much again.

"Oh!" Fuck me, Link thought to himself.

"And this came in the mail for you." Gingerly, he handed the box over to Revali.

He looked up as he took the package, and Link thought his heart would melt. Strands of wispy blue hair were floating around his face, falling gently over his brow. His bright green eyes were still shocking, even after living together for well over a month. He swore he would never get used to being around someone so beautiful. It was like looking up at the sun: still blinding every time.

"Thanks." Revali almost whispered, reaching for his scissors and beginning to open the box.

Link, taking advantage of the focus he had on the package, studied his face. He wanted to photograph that expression, the soft curiosity in his eyes. It seemed like everything he did had all of his focus on it, that intensity. Link paled at the thought of that much of his attention on him; he might just burst into flame.  
But still, there was something about the softness of his lips as his mouth hung open just that little bit-

Then glitter sprayed everywhere. 

All over Revali and his bed, sticking to him in places and falling onto his lap. Link had to try very hard to hold in his laugh, but Revali still looked up at him.

"Box from a friend?" He guessed, rethinking his initial thought that it was his family.

Family didn't tend to send glitter bombs, after all. At least, no family he had known would... Except maybe Daruk's. But they were really close.

"My family." Revali corrected, making a futile attempt to brush off the glitter.

"Any reason, or just a care package?" Link asked, more to keep the conversation going than anything else.

He shrugged. "My birthday is Saturday." 

"Then should you open it yet?" Link frowned, thinking about how his family did gifts.

His grandpa was always insistent that it be on his birthday, because that was his day. It was a weird tradition, but it really did show how much he cared about him... In an odd way. 

"I could wait." Revali said with a delicate shrug. "But it isn't the day that matters so much as the sentiment, is it?"

That did tend to be how other people thought of it. "Fair enough. Happy early birthday?"

"Thanks." And he turned his attention back to the box.

And Link turned his own attention back to his groceries, which he needed to take care of. Most of the things didn't need to be refrigerated, but those would need to go down to the commons kitchen with his name written all over them. Where was his sharpie? Oh well, that didn't matter. Quickly, he sorted the items into 'refrigerator' and 'gets shoved under my bed because where else would I put it' categories. He knew the second one was gross, but he seriously didn't know where else he would put things. Maybe he should find some box to be his dedicated pantry box. That would be stupid, but it would work.

The real question was, did the bread belong in the refrigerator? On one hand, if he wanted bread while in the dorm he would have to go get it. On the other, it would go bad more quickly if it wasn't refrigerated... Wouldn't it?

(Link): hey zel

(Link): Zellie

(Link): zelly jelly

(Zelda): What?

(Link): do you refrigerate bread?

(Zelda): Yes, what else would you do?

(Link): just... Leave if our?

(Link): it* out*

(Zelda): You heathen.

Nodding, Link slipped his phone back into his hoodie pocket. Now, if only he knew where his sharpies were. Were they in his backpack, or was that one on his desk? It wasn't one on his desk, and he couldn't find any in his backpack; though he did find half a pack of gum, a pad of sticky notes that wasn't his, and his spare charging block he had been looking for.  
But none of those things are sharpies, so where-

Feeling stupid, Link reached into the front pocket of his backpack and pulled out a sharpie. He should have known they would have been in there. What kind of person puts loose markers in the big pocket of your bag? Him sometimes, but not right now. They hadn't reached that part of the semester yet... Even though he knew full well that he had.

What could he say? His bag had everything he needed in it.

Using his best handwriting, Link wrote his name all over the 'refrigerate' items, including the bunch of bananas. It felt a little silly to write his name on each banana, but that was the only way to prevent theft, according to Zelda. Hell, even that might not be effective, but there was nothing he could do about that. Apparently one of the frats got really freaky with bananas, and he wasn't taking chances, even here in the dorms.

The real question: is Zelda paranoid? Never mind, that can wait.

Revali, out of the corner of his eye, was trying very hard to rid himself of glitter. It didn't appear to be doing much good, there was just too much... Every time he swept some away, he left more behind.

Link couldn't help but laugh a little. "Should I go get the vacuum?"

Revali scowled. "Yes, that would be very helpful."

Bad move. He felt the chill in the air before Revali even started speaking. Shoving his key back into his pocket, Link made his way out of the room and I to the hall.

The real question was, where's the vacuum?

Pulling out his phone again, he started to text Zelda.

(Link): u kno where the vacuum is??

(Zelda): Pretty sure it's just in the closet

(Link): where it should be? Impossible.

He slid his phone back into his pocket and made it around the hall to the closet. Sure enough, there was the vacuum, looking as ancient as ever. Link had only really seen it a few times, since he hadn't actually ever used it. Now that he thought about that, it made him feel a little guilty for letting Revali always be the one to vacuum the dorm.

Feeling a little more like an asshole than before, Link carried the vacuum back to the dorm. And, of course, his key had to stick. After struggling with the lock for a bit, he finally pushed open the door.

"So... How are we going to do this?" He asked, plugging in the vacuum.

Revali's brow furrowed in thought, cocking his head to the side. "If I stand up and shake off my blanket and shirt it'll put most of the glitter on the floor. Then I'll just vacuum it up." He paused. "Thank you... for getting the vacuum."

Link shrugged. "Don't sweat it. And I can help you out, you know."

He raised an eyebrow.

"I never really help out cleaning up the dorm."

Revali snorted. "Thank you for noticing."

Ouch. "I'm sorry..."

"Don't mention it." He flipped his hair over his shoulder as he stood up, dusting off his leggings. "Just please, for the love of all things sacred, pick up your clothes. I'm sick of just tossing them on your bed."

"I usually do." Link argued. "I only leave like, a hoodie out once in a while."

Revali raised an eyebrow. "Mm. Okay, fair. Let's get vacuuming."

Their plan was solid, only... the glitter wouldn't come off of Revali. It was stuck onto his leggings and it was stuck good. 

Link frowned. "Do you have a lint roller?"

"Do I look like I have a lint roller?"

"Well..." He shrugged. "Pretty much, yeah."

"I have a roll of packing tape. It works the same, less expensive. I should have thought of that at first." Revali reached up to one of the shelves, grabbing the roll. "Thank you, again."

"Don't mention it, just trying to help out."

"Do you ever get tired of that?" He asked, nose wrinkled as he started patting down his clothes with tape.

"Tired of what?" 

Revali raised a perfect eyebrow. "Being all adorable. You're like the protagonist of a kids show."

Link could feel himself blushing, turning bright red, no doubt. "Is that a good thing?"

He shrugged. "It's infuriating, but yeah, I guess so."

"Well, I mean... You seem kind of like the protagonist of a dramatic teen novel."

"Wow. Alright, I was trying to be nice, but-"

"No! In a good way!" Link added. "You're like... Mysterious and good at everything you do."

Revali tipped his head to the side. "Then wouldn't that make me the love interest?"

He turned even more red, if possible. "I mean... Probably?"

"Mm. I guess I'll take it."

And all Link wanted to say was that Revali wasn't really like a love interest, or a character in a novel. He was like a painting, with his practiced confidence and those wary eyes staring at something far away, waiting to run.

***

After a while of combined tape and vacuum efforts, the glitter was cleaned up a sufficient amount. There were still little flakes clinging to Revali's hair, or sticking to his face, or his fleece blanket, but Link figured he would take care of that on his own... Even after his bout of boldness, it didn't feel appropriate to just run his hand through Revali's hair. It was just too personal.  
As it turned out, he didn't have to worry about any of that. Once he was sufficiently cleaned up and everything was put in his proper place, Revali went to go take a shower. 

And Link pulled out his phone.

(Link): Hey guys

(Link): Revali's birthday is on Saturday

(Zelda): Ooooh

(Daruk): We're planning something?

(Urbosa): Of course.

(Mipha): Whaf if he doesn't like surprise parties?

(Link): itll be great

(Urbosa): Miph Leaf has a point, it should be low key

(Mipha): Miph Leaf?

(Urbosa): I thought it was cute

(Mipha): aww

(Daruk): but he's a total drama queen, he'd probably love a surprise party

(Urbosa): A quiet drama queen. It's different, he's like me three years ago

(Zelda): Is that supposed to be mean?

(Urbosa): No

(Urbosa): I didn't mean for it to come across like that

(Urbosa): just that I've been there 

(Link): ahh k k 

(Daruk): So... What are we doing??

(Mipha): Well, what does he like?

Link genuinely had to stop to think about that. What did Revali really like? That was strange. They had been living together for over a month now, and he still didn't really understand him.

No, that was a lie. He loved Halloween and birds and laughing at scary paintings. He loved to read, and try out new things with his makeup, and learn new ways to wear his favorite scarf. Every time Link told a story, or had a fun fact about something, he listened. Back home he had devoted himself to archery, including rigorous physical training; he loved the hard work and reward. He was a thrill-seeker.

And yet... He loved learning. What a nerd.

But how could he put all of that in a text?

(Link): he loves to read

(Zelda): What kind of books?

(Link): Classics, mostly

(Link): let me check

Standing up, he walked over to where Revali had put his books now, on top of the wardrobe.

(Link): he's got TKMB, 2 books of Shakespeare, 1 of Poe, the outlaws, pride and prejudice, and the call of the wild/white fang

(Daruk): so... Old?

(Link): I guess

(Mipha): Does this mean a trip to the bookstore?

(Urbosa): They may have something at the campus bookstore, I suppose

(Daruk): That sounds fun

(Mipha): A lot more fun than driving into an actual town 

(Daruk): True

(Link): what are u guys schedules like??

They ended up deciding on Wednesday, after they all got together for post-English studying, since Daruk was, surprisingly, free from his normal 3:30 class. That would work well, even though post-English studying had turned into complaining about Prof. Hyrule, most days.

Seriously, what was with that guy?

But Revali was out of the shower now, which suddenly made Link feel very guilty, even though all he was doing was planning a surprise party... Especially since he still had groceries to take care of.

"Thank you for reminding me!" Link sprung up to his feet. "I need to go put these in the fridge."

Revali chuckled, shaking his head and rolling his eyes. "You're so weird."

He grinned, grabbing the bag of refrigerator items and heading out of the dorm.

"You have no idea," He thought to himself as he walked down to the stairs.


	18. Eighteen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Link and the others in their group plan further for Revali's birthday...
> 
> And he sticks his nose in business he maybe shouldn't.

October 17

(Link)

Urbosa was the first to leave the dorm after their 'study session,' claiming that she needed to study for a quiz tomorrow. Everyone but Revali, of course, knew this was bullshit, but they didn't want Revali to think they were just ditching him to all hang out. This was a true spy mission, and they were going to do it right.

About fifteen minutes later, Daruk yawned and said he had better go, too; he was exhausted, and he had class soon. Twenty after that, Mipha and Zelda peeled out, claiming that they were going to go get coffee. They invited Revali and Link to come with, but he literally had a shitty commons room coffee in his hand, so it was a safe bet he'd decline. The two of them left without a fuss.

But now it was Link's turn, and he had no idea how to do this. On one hand, he knew that they were literally going to go get a gift for Revali. For his birthday. This coming Saturday. But at the same time... He hated giving up time he had with just him and Revali. Every second was breathtaking and he was too beautiful and...

This was stupid. He was being such an idiot.

He was so perfect that it almost set Link on edge. There were so many little things that Revali did and said that told him that, in reality, he wasn't perfect, but still, in Link's mind...  
He really did still look like a painting, with the sharp angle of his cupid's bow, and Link wondered if it was called that because that little bit of his lips made him want to kiss him, over and over, and do nothing else for the rest of his life.

"Are you even listening to me?" Revali laughed, waving a hand in front of Link's face. "Anybody home?"

He flinched back to reality. "Yeah, yeah."

"Maybe you need some coffee, too. You're falling asleep on me."

"No, I'm not." Link claimed. "What were you talking about?"

"Mrs. Dubose. You can't leave her out in your analyses." Revali ran a hand through his oh-so-perfect hair. "She certainly keeps with the theme of subjective morality; this mean old woman who, in death, turns out to have been a recovering drug addict. It's interesting going into the private part of her life, seeing her motive, and comparing it to how she acted. It's left up to the reader, largely, to justify her actions or not."

"But she's still, like, a massive dick." He pointed out. "The white camellia? Dick move."

Revali snickered. "I would call that part in particular big dick energy, but yeah, for the most part she was horrible. Downright atrocious."

"Yeah... Oh, shit, wait." Link pulled out his phone, checking the time. "I've gotta go, I need to talk to our Stats professor."

"Alright, have fun. Don't die."

"I'll try." Giving him a mock salute, Link slipped out the door, breathing a huge sigh of relief.

Now, the campus bookstore.

***

"But are we really gonna find anything for him here?" Daruk asked, squinting at a stack of new arrivals. "Come to think of it, though, his taste in books kinda make sense."

"Why?" Mipha asked, dusting off a used copy of War and Peace. "He is an English major."

"English minor." Link corrected. "But creative writing major."

"I knew that wasn't right." She nodded. "Thank you, Link."

"Don't mention it."

Daruk shrugged. "I guess it's the words Vali uses. You just know listenin' to him that he enjoyed the theater section in English class every year."

Link groaned, face scrunching. "I always hated that."

"Why?"

"The teacher always had everyone else they possibly could give a role be someone in the play, but I never could be, because, well..."

"Oh." Zelda nodded. "That makes sense."

"I think War and Peace is a little much." Mipha decided, setting the book down. "He has a lot of Poe and Shakespeare, maybe we can find some poetry?"

"As long as it's not love poetry." Link blurted, immediately blushing.

Why did he say that? His whole body felt like crumpling in on himself, then melting.

"Why would we do that?" Daruk asked, oblivious for about all of three seconds. "Wait a second..."

"Ooh." Urbosa grinned. "I knew it. You've been in love with that scoundrel since you laid eyes on him."

"No, I-"

Daruk shrugged. "Opposites attract?"

"He's hopeless, look at him." She laughed. "Suddenly a few things make a little more sense."

Link paled. "Like what?"

"Just a few things." She winked, a knowing smile on her lips.

"Tell me!"

They all snickered, shaking their heads. Link gave Zelda a look as if to say that she was no better.

"Maybe some romantic poetry would be appropriate, then." Zelda teased, elbowing him lightly. "You could finally confess your love."

"No, I don't want it to be awkward." Link signed, blushing furiously. "Besides, it's his birthday. This isn't about me, it's about him."

Zelda nodded. "I was joking. Come on, we should check over here."

They all fell silent for a bit, looking at different books. Link couldn't help but wonder if Revali would even like whatever they got him, or if he would already have the book at home. That wouldn't be great.

Mipha came alongside him, set down the book she was holding, and took a sharp breath in. "You know, Link, I hate to be the one to tell you..."

"What is it?"

She bit at her lip. "Well... There are a lot of rumors out there about Revali. I don't know if any are true, but... People are saying that he's been, well, really stalking that guy on the football team."

Link balked at the idea, almost laughing. Revali? Stalking someone? Still... That was a pretty big deal to be accused of. If someone called title 9 with even an accusation it could be bad.

Oh wait. Gan.

Was this the same situation?

"Someone said he was threatening them, too. It's gotten to be, well... It's gotten to be a big deal."

Zelda joined them, nodding, shoulders tight. "I don't know to believe it or not, but... Please be careful. I have the football player in question in a class of mine and... I don't know what to believe."

Numb, Link nodded. "You've just been carrying that around this whole time? You didn't tell me?"

"Well... Like I said, I don't know what to believe. Ganondorf's crowd is certainly loud, but that doesn't always mean they're always telling the truth." She frowned. "I should have just texted you about this.

"Probably." He paused. "So I shouldn't worry about it?"

"Yeah, don't sweat it, just... Be careful." Zelda nodded. "And keep an eye out for anything suspicious."

Suspicious like sneaking into the dorm late at night? He had only done it once... And that had really seemed like a breakup, or something of that nature. He wasn't too worried. But...

Revali certainly was a weird guy, sometimes.

"I'll keep my eye out for a balaclava." Link grinned. 

Zelda shook her head, pinching the bridge of her nose. "You're terrible."

"Well, duh. What else would I be?"

She rolled her eyes.

"Hey, wanna hear a joke?"

"I know which one you're going to tell..."

"What did the ruler say to the perforated paper?" Link leaned in towards her."

"...what?" 

"You're tear-able!"

"Go Set a Watchman?" Mipha interrupted, holding up a book. "It's a companion piece to To Kill a Mockingbird, which he already has."

"But would it be a different cover than he already has." Zelda pointed out. "Still, how much is it?"

She checked the back. "Not too bad, it's used, but in good condition."

"Hold onto it then." Urbosa added from behind them, startling Link just a little bit. "You never know what we might find."

In the end, they found a lot of various things, some making far more sense than others. Since it was a campus bookstore, most of the books were things you could need to read for a class, but that seemed to line up with Revali's interests pretty well, anyway. He had the literary taste of the friendly English teacher in a teen coming of age movie, and Link didn't know whether or not he'd take offense at that. They left with the used copy of Go Set a Watchman, and a very tiny book of Emily Dickinson poems.

Link just hoped that it was good enough...

And that Revali wasn't a stalker. That was, you know, fairly important too.

***

When Link got back, the books given to Urbosa and Zelda so that Revali had no chance of finding them, the dorm was empty. There was, however, a letter on Revali's desk. A filled out envelope, already marked with a stamp, was sitting there next to it. It was empty, though, the paper laid out flat, with a pen sitting on top. There was really only a little bit written in Revali's neat, precise writing, but...

What did he say about Revali writing letters? The idea of him with a quill?

Link tried to resist the urge to read it, but his curiosity won out. Who was the letter to? The envelope was addressed to an address in Tabantha, Alaska, so that pretty much answered his question about who. It had to be his parents... Or whoever they were. 

Revali never said who they were in so many words, just that they were family and that he lived with them.  
Link stood up at looked over at the pictures he had of them. They were a cute family, all with different colored hair, smiling all except for the baby, who was making a weird face. Revali looked calm in that photo, not at all like he had been looking recently.

Now, for the letter.

"To Teba, Saki, and Tulin-

"I would just call, but I know you're old-fashioned (Yes, I am talking about you, Teba) so I thought a letter would be more appreciated. Things have been, well... Bad. Things have been bad. I can't - I can't make myself write out all of what's happened, but I'll tell you when I come back up for the summer. I'm alright, I promise - and my grades are good. All straight A's, except my writing class, but I'm very close to a breakthrough in it. And I'm the top of a couple of my other classes, besides. The only hassle has been one particular teacher who stares an uncomfortable amount, but he hasn't bothered me besides that. 

"After all, everybody stares.

"How are all of you doing? I got the package, I thought I should let you know. Now that I'm writing I don't know what to tell you about. I've made another friend since we last spoke over the phone, you'll be happy to know, Saki. Her name is Paya, and she dresses like a Monet painting. She's very sweet; perhaps that influence will be good for me. You've been hampering me about positivity so much, after all

"I miss you all- but I think I'll just call next time, despite you, Teba. I only have a few stamps I brought with me, and I am not buying more unless I have to."

Then there was a long blank, as if he was thinking of more to write later. At the bottom was a dramatic signature, as he would have guessed:

"Your Champion, Revali Gale."

The signature was funny, but... Frowning, he stepped away again. Something about the letter felt... Vague. Uncomfortably so. Everything about it was just skimming the surface. Maybe he wasn't very close to his family, but the care package had seemed like they knew each other pretty well, and the fact he admitted things are bad.

Things are bad? What did he mean by that?

Revali did seem tired, sure, but he seemed functional. He still dressed himself well, looked nice. And things seemed good. He wasn't drinking or parting, really... Except maybe that one night he came back to the dorm really late. 

Link still didn't know why he couldn't forget that, but it was still sticking around. It was after then that the rumors started with Gan, after all. What if they were connected?

What was going on?

Either way, that was an isolated incident, and he didn't make a habit of staying out late partying, anyway. In fact, he went to bed a lot earlier than Link did most days, and he took good care of himself. Overall, Revali ate a lot healthier than him... And showered more. And took better care of his hair.

Revali was just a lot better at being an adult... Or just a lot better at being on his own. Something told him that he had gone through too much shit as a kid.

He was overthinking this too much. Right now, he needed to sit down and get some homework done, unimpeded by his beautiful roommate and his tragic problems.

Though, it didn't seem like a letter from someone stalking another student. Link just knew, in his heart, that wasn't right.

Or did he just have him fooled?

***

(Revali)

Revali knew that they had all just left to hang out without him. He knew it in his heart more than his head, making him ache all over.

Why did he have to be like this? Maybe if he was nicer, they would like him more. He knew that he tended to be standoffish, or a little bit of a killjoy, but... He didn't think that these friends would do that.

And he didn't think they would do it now.

Then again, he should have seen it coming. They all liked each other better than they liked him, and they all had this whole time. Sure, he was the butt of Daruk's jokes, and Urbosa chatted with him once in a while, but they really got along with each other better. Mipha and Zelda were in love with each other, everyone could tell, so it was just a little awkward with them. And Link...

Link was his roommate. His heart shouldn't ache like this when he thought about Link not liking him, and yet...

He wondered if he had heard the rumors that Paya talked to him about. She had been texting updates on it once in a while, or mentioning things she heard. It was just getting worse and worse, and Revali didn't know what to do.

He could call title 9, but would they be able to help him? Nothing had happened that he could prove, and no one would believe him if he said he was-

Revali took a deep breath.

-if he said he was raped.

Just thinking the word made him feel cold and clammy, a little bit like he was going to throw up and a lot like he wanted to curl up in a little ball. He had to get out of here, to go somewhere, he couldn't be alone... It was like saying that it happened made it real.

As if it wasn't real before.

As if he didn't damn well know that it happened before.

Revali grabbed his phone.

(Revali): Hey, are you free?

(Paya): I have a bit of studying to do, but yeah!

(Revali): Study together?

(Paya): Sounds great, what dorm building do you live in?

(Revali): I'm in the North building, third floor

(Paya): Great! I'm on the first, 126N

(Revali): Can I come over?

(Paya): Sure! I might not be super great to hang out with right now, but...

(Paya): If you're up to just chill and study?

(Revali): You're good. I'll be right down

Maybe Paya could distract him. Maybe. She was his friend, after all. He did have friends. He and Hearth still texted once in a while, and he was friends with Paya. Once in a while Kilton talked to him...

But that wasn't to say he enjoyed that, much.

Trying not to think about how sad that was, Revali grabbed some homework and left the dorm. Right now, he was going to focus on school. Friends could wait.

Still, he felt numb and cold, and a little sick. He tried to push the thoughts out of his mind, but-

No. Studying. There would be time for that... Later. Just not right now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just really wanted to thank you guys for being so great while I've been a lil wacky with updates and such; I get really stressed about letting people down and just seeing that y'all are good with me needing a little time is reassuring <3
> 
> You're the best!


	19. Nineteen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Revali goes to visit a friend.
> 
> And finally, his birthday rolls around, and the group is ready.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Behind! I'm sorry!

October 17

(Revali)

Sucking in a deep breath, Revali knocked on the door. It was the right room, 126, just like she said, but he was still worried someone else would answer. They would see him and immediately...

Paya opened the door with her little blushing smile, as always. "Hi! Come on in, Revali." 

As he walked in, Revali was immediately hit by the difference in the sides of the room. It was the same layout as his room, with a bed on each side, but the door to the bathroom was on the right. The right side was dark, with a dark blue blanket, black sheets and pillow case, and freaky little figurines that could have been from TV shows, but also could have been cursed garage sale finds. He hadn't met the roommate, but already he was a little wary of her.

On the other hand, Paya's side... Looked exactly like Paya. Little trinkets from her home, pictures of her and her friends from home and her grandma, everything screamed Paya. Her sheets were dark blue, but her blanket was a pretty pale pink. A blue stuffed rabbit sat next to her pillow, making Revali miss bird just a little bit.

Fuck, that was pathetic. He missed his stuffed animal? Wow.

"I was just working on an essay I have due for my English Class." Paya explained, sitting down on her bed. "I hope you don't mind."

"Not at all, I have some work I need to do for stats. It's easy, but it takes a bit."

She nodded. "I decided to take the Art of Mathematics course instead. How is stats?"

"Easy." Revali snorted. "Who do you have for English?" 

Paya wrinkled her nose; it was possibly the most displeased expression Revali had ever seen her make. "Mr. Gaebora."

"I've heard bad things about him."

"He just talks forever." She explained. "I heard he teaches a history class too, so I guess that makes sense."

"Mm, I suppose." Revali nodded, sitting down next to Paya on the bed. "I'm stuck with Prof. Hyrule."

"Oh no! I'm friends with his daughter-"

"Zelda?"

"Yes! You know her too?" 

Revali nodded. "She's in my English class, we're on a group project together."

"Aw, that's so much fun!" Paya smiled. "The people in my classes are a little intimidating. I haven't made many friends."

"And you're friends with Zelda?" He raised an eyebrow. "She can be pretty intimidating."

"Well..." She blushed, looking down at the floor. "She's really pretty..."

Oh no. Might as well end it quickly?

Revali sighed. "I'm... fairly sure she has a crush on someone else."

After a moment of silence, Paya nodded. "I just want her to be happy."

"Ugh, how do you do it?"

She cocked her head to the side. "Do what?"

"How are you so..."

So not jealous. So calm about the whole thing, about the idea that Zelda might not care about you the way you care about her. How does it not tear you apart at every moment in the day, thinking about him and sleeping next to him and... Damn, this started being about Link again.

Revali swallowed. "So good?"

"What do you mean?"

"You just want to best for her." He clarified. "That's so... Selfless."

Paya blushed. "Thank you? That's really kind."

"Anyway, we should get to work."

"Oh, yeah, of course... Can you read this for me?" She passed over the page she was working on. "You're better with grammar than I am."

"Yep. I'll mark any errors I find..."

***

October 20

(Link)

Finally, Saturday had arrived; meaning Revali's birthday. Link had been planning this all week, making sure everyone would be here when Revali got back from his morning study session at the library. 

This time when he left, it was with a girl Link hadn't seen before. Absently, Link wondered if she and Revali were dating, before he remembered the conversation they had a while back, with the whole group. He had said he was gay. Or gai. Link didn't quite know the difference, and a quick Google search didn't reveal much.

"Adjective. gai. Having sufficient power, strength, force, skill, means, or resources of any kind to accomplish the object; possessed of qualifications rendering competent for some end; competent; qualified; capable."

...yeah, that didn't seem like a sexual orientation. It seemed like a way Revali would describe himself, but not an orientation. Maybe he could try something else? Or maybe he had just said gay, and he talked funny. But he didn't normally talk funny, and he definitely said it differently... 

"Gai is for anyone that is nonbinary and feels their attraction is gay (as in not straight) in a nonbinary way."

Well, it was a blog he found the information on, and certainly not the first result, but that did make more sense. Then again... He's nonbinary. What would it even mean to have gay-like attraction? It could be to anyone, technically. Link had no clue, and honestly, he was probably thinking into this too much. He would have to just ask about it later.

He did have that guy he was texting... Well, he didn't really know it was a guy at first, but with how uncommon Gan was as a name, Link was pretty sure that's who it had to be.  
So if he was dating him, that at least meant he dated guys... But who knew about this girl? 

Link tried to tamp down his jealousy, but it was having none of that. Even reminding himself that today was Revali's birthday and this was all for him wasn't working. 

Ugh.

A knock at the door startled Link out of his thoughts, thankfully. Mipha smiled when he opened the door, glancing from his hands, to his feet, to the floor.

"Am I here too early? I don't want to-"

Link shook his head. "You're not too early, come on in. I'm sure everyone else will be here soon."

Mipha nodded, stepping daintily inside. She stared at the ground as if debating taking her shoes off, but left them on. Link noticed a new piercing in her left ear.

"So, what's going on with you?"

She shrugged. "Not much, I mean... Well... Can I tell you a secret?"

Link nodded, trying to curb his enthusiasm.

"I think I've fallen for Zelda." She admitted. "And I really don't know what to do. I figured, since you're her best friend and all..."

"That I might have some pointers?"

Her braids swayed when she nodded, and she tucked a couple behind her ear. "I've learned quite a bit about her, but... You're so lucky being Revali's roommate; you must know so much about him."

"Ehh..." He gestured like so-so. "I really don't feel like I know a whole lot."

"Really?"

"I mean, I know the things he spends more or less money on. I know the books he checks out from the library, and his favorite shades of lipstick, and that he secretly has a little stuffed animal..." Link stopped. "Don't tell anyone that last one, I feel like he would skin me alive... and make me into a stuffed animal."

Mipha snickered. "Not a soul. What kind of animal is it?"

"I think it's a crow? It's a black bird, anyway."

"That's adorable."

"And, I learned, he's lactose intolerant... Wait, you want to know more about Zelda, don't you?" Link nodded. "I can talk more about her." 

"That would be amazing."

"She loves fruitcake, but not the gross kind that weird aunts make around Christmas, the good, fresh kind. She doesn't like to smell like vanilla anymore, since she spilled a bottle of vanilla perfume in her room in seventh grade and it smelled like vanilla in there for a full year." Link paused, trying to think of more. "She's an amazing model, no matter what she says about her appearance."

Mipha's eyes went wide. "She was a model?"

Link found himself blushing. "Only for my photography. I used to drag her up into the best wooded areas I could find, then take pictures of her... Or the middle of the desert, then again. Or outside convenience stores at three in the morning... She's just really photographable. Photographable? Photogenic, that's the word." 

She smiled. "That's adorable."

He grinned. "I can show you some, sometime, when she's not going to be coming over soon."

"That sounds lovely, Link. As is, I would hate for her to come in and see photos of herself and get embarrassed..."

"Oh, she really would." Link agreed. "She's really shy about this stuff."

"Well, I'll be sure to keep it a secret." Mipha smiled. "Anything else you feel free to tell me?"

"She snores." He snickered. "Not very loud, but just a little bit."

"Oh, I'm used to snoring. I have a little brother, he's fourteen now, who snores very loudly... And that's not including my dad."

"Well, you will be well-equipped."

She grinned.

Another knock on the door startled Link to his feet, and he went over to answer it.

"Sorry it took me a little bit, I was in the shower." Daruk said, ruffling his wet hair for emphasis. "Wait. Is anybody else here?"

Mipha waved from her seat on Link's bed.

"Oh! The little princess is here." He smiled. "That's good. I got worried for absolutely nothing for a sec."

Link smiled, then shrugged. "I guess we're only missing Urbosa and Zelda now... Who room together."

"Yeah, they'll probably get here together." Daruk said, yawning. "Man, 11:30 should not feel this early."

"I know, right?" Link stifled a yawn himself. "And Zelda's probably in the shower; she takes forever."

Mipha raised an eyebrow. "Good to know."

"Why? You two plannin' on rooming together next semester?"

"Wait." Link froze. "Roommates change every semester?"

"Only if you request it." Daruk explained. "Least, I think so. Not sure."

"I think you and Revali work well enough together that you don't need to worry." Mipha reassured. 

He blushed.

"Oh yeah..." Daruk grinned, scratching his beard. "And they were roommates."

She snickered. "Oh my gosh, they were roommates."

Link shook his head. "Alright, alright..."

Another knock on the door signaled Zelda and Urbosa, the former with wet hair. He let them in quickly, and they both sat down on Revali's bed. 

"So she was in the shower." Daruk grinned.

Zelda frowned. "What?"

"We were talking about how long you take in the shower."

Zelda tossed a pillow at him.

Link tossed it back. "We probably shouldn't destroy Revali's bed."

"Yeah, yeah." She caught it and put it back.

"So," He signed, trying to get back on topic. "You brought the gift?"

Urbosa held up the two packages, stacked on top of each other, wrapped simply in brown paper and tied with a piece of twine. "Of course."

"That's good; then we're all ready?"

They all nodded and agreed, ducking down into "hiding places." Daruk ducked in between the wardrobe and the bed on Link's side, Mipha and Zelda crammed into the same space on the other side, both blushing wildly. Link was under his own desk, and Urbosa was standing in the doorway of the bathroom.

"Are we just going to stay here until he gets back?" Daruk whispered.

"Yep." Mipha said.

"Aw, but Link can't join us." 

"We don't know how long we could be waiting." Urbosa pointed out. "He could be another hour, even."

Link frowned, pulled out his phone, typed out a message, turned up the volume, and had it read: "He always gets back around noon."

"Well, that answers that question, I guess." Daruk decided. "Wait, shh..."

The sound of a key struggling in the lock was their cue to be silent. Revali was right outside the door, twisting the knob open...

As soon as the door was all the way open, Urbosa hit the lights. All of them jumped out from their places and-

Revali jumped back, then smiled wide, trying to process what was going on - but Link saw it. The flash of fear in his eyes. The moment of terror when they first hit the lights. 

What was going on?

***

(Revali)

Walking back from the library alone was not ideal, but when Paya threw up in the library bathroom? He knew that he couldn't make her wait for him. In fact, he was going to walk her back, but her roommate was also there, so she said she would go back with her.

The roommate turned out to be the moody goth girl with the cat ears. That made a lot of sense for the dorm room, actually, but if he had to see her move out of her little spot again he swore he would jump out of his skin. It was just freaky.

So Revali found a book he would rather be reading than The Great Gatsby, which he loved but was getting very tired with, and sat down at one of the tables. It was nice here, peaceful, as long as he didn't think about, well...  
The idea that, at any moment, someone could sit across from him at this table and strike up a conversation. Then they would text him constantly, never give him a break, and when he rejected him-

He was out of the chair in a moment, the scraping sound nearly deafening in the silence of the library.

Everyone is watching you.

Looking at you.

Swallowing, walking on shaky legs, he made his way over to the goth girl's spot, and sat down. It was small, secluded, and good to curl up in with a book. So he stayed there for his allotted time, dreading the walk home in the back of his mind.

But now it was time to go, he checked out his book, and was staring at the doors.

Realistically, he knew he was safe. It was almost noon, so there was broad daylight shining down on campus. It was a warm day, for October, which was oddly the only thing that reminded him that it was his birthday. The day had never been a big deal to him, not since...

Revali shuddered. Between thinking about that, and now the walk home, he was conflicted. On one hand, buildings meant fires which meant leaving people behind to die horrible deaths. And on the other... Walking out in the open meant someone grabbing him and-

He took a deep, shuddering breath, and walked forward. 

The bright, cheery day seemed wrong. It was as if the whole world was actually watching him, laughing at him, calling him a-  
He shook his head, and raised it a little higher. So what if everyone was laughing? He was Revali Gale, and he wasn't going to let anything slow him down.

***

So when someone jumped out at him when Revali opened his dorm room door, he almost punched him right in the jaw. That him, of course, turned out to be Daruk, and his other friends, but-

"Surprise!"

Revali jumped back, blinking for a moment, then... Pulled himself together and forced out a laugh. "Did you guys... Get together for my birthday?"

"Hell yeah, we did." Zelda grinned. "Well, it was Link's idea, but-"

Link elbowed her, his face turning scarlet.

He raised an eyebrow, a warm feeling flooding his chest. So it was Link's idea, huh? That was so sweet and kind and...

Revali clicked his tongue, trying to hide the fact he was blushing. "I am serious; do you ever take a break from being the main character in an actual children's book."

He turned even more red, a smile tugging at his lips. "I guess not... Mr. Darcy."

"Come on and let him sit down at least." Urbosa gestured them all away from the door. "Happy Birthday, Revali."

"Thank you."

A chorus of "Happy Birthday"s followed, and a brown paper wrapped package was placed in his lap by Mipha the moment they all sat down.

Revali blinked. "You... Got me a gift?"

They all nodded.

"You shouldn't have, you know." He added. "We're all broke college students, and I don't even know when any of your birthdays are."

"Doesn't matter." Daruk waved him off. "We wanted to."

"You're sure?"

"Go ahead and open them, Revali." Urbosa urged him, putting a hand on his shoulder.

Revali took a deep breath. "Of course. Thank you guys; that was very thoughtful of you."

Carefully, like the slightest movement could mean they took their gift away, he began to unwrap the packages. He started by unwrapping the twine, then carefully slid the first package out of its brown paper-

"Emily Dickinson? Have I talked about loving her poetry before?"

Link shook his head. "Was it a good guess?"

Revali laughed. "Very good guess. While I disagree with the fact it was published in the first place... Her poetry is some of the most beautiful. Thank you."

And the second-

"So you'd have both books." Zelda commented, once the paper was off.

Go Set a Watchman, sequel to To Kill a Mockingbird.

"You guys really know me well, don't you?"

"You don't always make it easy." Daruk pointed out. "Nah, we love you, Vali."

He smiled, really unable to do anything else. "You guys are the best."

"And that's not all!" Zelda added. "The real reason we were late; sorry I didn't have time to wrap."

She tossed a grocery bag over, and Revali knew what was inside basically the moment he caught them.

"Candy corn?"

She grinned. "You bet."

"The pumpkin shaped kind?"

"None other."

***

They all stayed over for quite a while, just hanging out, having a good time, without the added pressure of actually having something to be working on. And Revali...

He couldn't believe he thought they didn't like him. This whole time, he thought they disliked him? Now he just felt like an asshole.

Yet, something in his head said it, over and over:

They don't dislike you yet.


	20. Twenty

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And the after party... Or rather, the aftermath of the party.
> 
> Link gathers his courage.
> 
> And Zelda makes a bold choice.

October 20

(Revali)

After the party was over, Revali groaned some generic excuse about being dirty, grabbed his shower things and stole away into the bathroom.

And that's when everything collapsed.

Everything he'd been holding in all day fell apart right then and there, collapsing to the worn linoleum floor of the dorm room bathroom.

He was just so... So tired.

He was tired of not being able to go to the library, his one place of escape, alone. He was tired of being afraid all the time. He was tired of being so damn stubborn that he couldn't just let himself leave the library when it would be convenient; it had to be on his 'normal' schedule. He was tired of punishing himself like that for being weak, telling himself to just ignore it and pretend it didn't happen and move on and act like everything was fine and-

Everything was fine.

Just ignore it; there's no way to fix that problem. Just move on to the next one.

He was tired of being alone on his birthday.

But he wasn't really alone, this time. He had friends, and they cared about him. They took the time to know who he was, to know what he was interested in. They got him gifts that he would actually enjoy. They liked spending time with him.

For now, they did.

Revali shook his head.

He wasn't alone, but at the same time... A part of him would always remember that first year, that first birthday he spent in the boys home where yes, they celebrated, but it wasn't the same. He clutched Bird tight to his chest that night and sobbed, wishing it was all just some horrible dream.

Since then, his birthday was never important. It was always overlooked, anyway. And if someone got him a gift, it was just to belittle him.

The boys in the home got him a gift, one year: sparkly pink hair bows. Then, when he wore them, they beat him up for them. Or they would pretend to give him a gift, then take it away.

So no, his birthday didn't tend to matter much, but...

But...

They cared. They cared. They said they loved him.

They lied, something in Revali's head told him. Urbosa is Gan's cousin, for fucks sake. Who is she going to side with, you, or family?

Family.

They were family.

And he had forgotten all about that; Urbosa was Gan's younger cousin. A pit was slowly growing in Revali's stomach, an ache growing in his knees from kneeling on the hard floor, hot tears forming in his eyes.

He swallowed. "Shower. Just pull yourself together, Revali."

Pull yourself together. Pretend it's all okay. Wipe your eyes and hold your head high.

It would be okay, he told himself, trying to take deep breaths. 'Cousin' wasn't exactly a close relation. Urbosa had never mentioned Gan... Had she? He didn't think so. 

She was his friend. They were his friends.

And it was Link's idea.

Blushing, Revali pulled himself to his feet. He needed to ignore that, but... That would be fine. Friends. They cared about him. It would be fine.

Shower.

Reluctantly, he stripped off his clothes. Being naked had always been one of the things that, as a trans feminine person, he was continually surprised by loving. His body was beautiful, captivating, and something he put a lot of effort into, but...

Now he just felt vulnerable. Scared. Weak. 

Watched.

That was just another thing Gan managed to take from him.

Double checking that the door was locked, Revali glanced at himself in the mirror. He still looked the same, if a little thinner, and a little less fit since he hadn't been working out. Strong collarbones, long arms, lithe body...

"And such a pretty little waist-"

Gan's voice in his head came out of nowhere, startling Revali back. He couldn't breathe, he couldn't move, he couldn't-

No. No. Deep breaths. Deep breaths.

He knew that he was hyperventilating as he climbed into the shower, but he didn't care. He couldn't sit still. A crawling feeling had seeped into his skin and it needed to be off, it needed to be off-

Revali turned on the shower, cranking it to full hot and beginning to scrub his body clean. By the time he got out his skin was raw red, covered in scratched lines by his nails, washed so many times that no dirt could possibly remain.

But still he felt dirty. There was no possible way to feel clean.

***

October 21

(Link)

Link woke up with the image of Revali in his mind, the fear in his eyes, like the painting of that damned woman in the green hat. It was torturous, thinking about him, with him being right there but just out of reach.  
He was still sleeping now, actually, curled up around his little stuffed bird. He would need to ask about that eventually, just like he needed to ask about his sexual orientation. Or just like he needed to ask about his family. Asking about his past. Asking about why he had seemed jumpy and on edge all the time. Asking about the weird 'break up' with Gan.

That was the turning point, Link had realized. It was plain as day as soon as he started thinking about it. Before, Revali would walk around campus alone all the time, wandering apart from the group, but now? He stuck with other people constantly. He was jumpy. There was fear in his eyes when they surprised him yesterday.

And he would have to ask why everyone thought he was stalking Ganondorf.

But all of that could wait, because right now it was Sunday morning, and Sunday mornings were meant for relaxing.

***

(Revali)

After his shower, Revali went straight to bed. And when he woke up, curled up around Bird, Sunday morning, he didn't want to move.

This hadn't happened in years.

It was an overwhelming feeling, just a weight all over him, pinning him down. It was like he was dead, just lying there, decomposing on his dorm room bed, slowly turning into dirt. Fading into the forest floor.

Dead.

His phone was sitting up on his desk, and the message flashed across his mind. 

Dead.

Revali felt sick. He didn't want to move, he never wanted to move. It was like he turned to stone here, a statue, gone completely solid.

But there was Link sitting there, watching something on his phone, and...

He looked so, so alive. 

How? How did he manage it? Just looking at him made Revali's veins course with energy. He wanted to move. He didn't want to be dead; he wanted to be that kind of living. That was all he wanted. To be alive.

Slowly, pretending that he had just woken up, he pushed off the covers, sitting up and stretching his arms over his head.

"You're up early." He yawned. "Did you sleep?"

Link shrugged, pausing his video. "Yeah, I guess I just woke up..."

"Strange. Anyway-" Revali pulled the hairband out of his messy bun. "I'm going to go grab breakfast."

"Good plan."

Cursing himself for cutting off the conversation, he headed down to the cafeteria to grab a dairy-free yogurt or something. All he really wanted to do was talk to Link, but...

Revali wondered if Link felt the same was about him as he did. He recognized it as feelings now - it definitely was not friendship like he thought might be, for that little moment. His initial thoughts were right.

No... But he couldn't ask him it. There were too many risks involved.

And as he walked through the cafeteria, it felt as if all eyes were on him.

***

(Link)

Link was planning on asking Revali out the moment he got back from getting breakfast. Okay, well, maybe not the exact moment, but right when he got back.

Which, of course, meant that as soon as he got back he had to go straight to his closet to get dressed. Which... Was fair. He was still in his pajamas.

Wait. Revali went downstairs in his pajamas? That was odd. Normally, he would never do that.

But he quickly got dressed, and Link was ready to make his move... Then Revali slipped into his bathroom, grabbing his phone and turning on some music.

Which meant makeup. Which could take... Some time, that was for sure.

But that was fine! Link was okay with that. He was okay with that. Just... Nervous. Leaning back onto his bed, he pulled up another episode of his TV show and tried to let himself relax.

It was about halfway through that he realized he wasn't paying any attention to what was going on in the show. At all.

Across the room, through the open door, he could see Revali doing his makeup. It was such an... Intimate moment. The funny faces he made in the mirror, the bright green clips he used to contain his hair, the way he was bent over toward the mirror just that little bit...

It was such a cute angle. Rarely did Revali go for 'cute' as his look, but he was absolutely adorable.

When he finished though, his hair done in his regular four braids, makeup done flawlessly, dressed beautifully, he sat down right at the edge of the bed.

He took off his headphones, setting down his phone. "So... Revali..."

"Yeah? What is it, Link?"

"Would you, maybe..."

Link's hands moved sporadically, his face bright red and his eyes on the floor. At least, that's how he pictured himself. It didn't help that Revali, sitting on his bed, looked knock-out gorgeous. He had tried something new with his eye makeup, or maybe it was just a new color? He looked... Brighter? Link didn't know, but it looked amazing. His lips were slightly parted, but pinched into a frown on the sides.

"Would you go out with me? There's a little coffee shop on campus, and..." He swallowed hard, squeezing his eyes shut.

Dead silence. Revali blinked slowly, and yeah that was definitely a new shade of gold on his eyelids, his eyeliner winged into a sharp point. Link could feel his heart pounding in his chest with every second, his throat growing tighter and tighter. Slowly, he raised his hands to say never mind, but Revali licked his lips. Sucking in a little breath, he opened his mouth to speak.

Breathing more than speaking, he finally spoke. "I thought you hated me at first, you know that?"

"Wait, what?" Link signed as he tried to process what Revali had just whispered.

He swallowed. "I thought you all hated me. The way you would laugh, the looks... That is how it seemed."

Link couldn't help but laugh, but Revali flinched. "We thought you hated us!"

Revali's brows furrowed. "Why would you think that?"

Link began to count on his fingers. "The way you never seemed to talk to us-"

"I'm just shy!" Revali interrupted.

"The fact you were always on your phone?"

He winced at that, frowned, then sighed. "I've gotten better with that. Again - I'm shy."

"You never respond to the group chat." 

"I didn't think I needed to - did I?"

"The way you always turned down our snacks-"

"Lactose intolerant? I thought I mentioned that."

"Not until later." Link shrugged. "The way you were always trying to avoid us-"

"I was trying to get out of the wind, like anyone sensible." Revali defended, crossing his arms.

"The way you have a habit of interrupting people." Link grinned.

Revali said nothing, but he could see the traces of a smile on his lips too.

"You kinda always seem like you're talking down to people."

He blinked, as if startled by that.

"And you always look... Like you don't trust us? I don't know." Link shrugged again, glancing down at the gross carpet.

Revali took a deep breath. "Just because... No, that sounds bad. I... I don't have many friends. So yeah, I don't trust you guys all the time, maybe."

Link didn't think before his hands were making the signs. "Do you want to trust us?"

Revali raised an eyebrow. "That's a weird question."

Link shrugged. "Yeah, I guess it is."

"Yeah..." Revali looked down. "But... I would like that."

"Like what?"

"To trust you guys. And... And to go to that coffee shop with you - I've never been. I usually just drink the crap in the common room." Revali gained confidence as he spoke.

He shuddered, not quite believing what he just heard. "Really? The common room coffee really is awful; when are you free? My schedule is probably more flexible than yours."

Revali looked up at the ceiling. "I'm free basically anytime Thursday. How's one?"

Link nodded, a smile pulling at the corners of his mouth. "Yeah, that sounds good."

Revali nodded, pulling out his phone and putting it into his calendar. As always with him: perfectly organized. The reminder was typed out with a smile on his face, a light flush on his cheeks. Link could photograph him looking like that; the way he looked at the phone made it appear that he was texting with the object of his affection.

The object of his affection? Those were some fancy words. Why didn't he just say crush? Link shrugged to himself. Maybe he had been listening to Revali talk too much, or at least, the flowery words he uses all the time. He was turning into a Jane Austen character now.

"I'll text to remind you of the date and time, and we both know where the coffee shop is so that's fine... I'll just have to put this into my real calendar later." Revali glanced up at Link. "I have an assignment I need to work on now, but... I'm looking forward to it."

Link could only blush and smile, nodding his head soundlessly.

***

(Link): Hey Zel

(Link): Zellie!

(Link): Zelda?

(Link): Zelda Zelda fo felda banana fana fo felda me my mo melda ZELDa

(Zelda): What is it? I'm trying to study

(Link): I did it

(Zelda): Did what?

(Link): I asked him out!!!

(Zelda): What'd he say??

(Link): We're going out for coffee on Thursday!!!!

(Zelda): I'm so happy for you!

(Link): u kno what that means?

(Zelda): What?

(Link): You have to ask Mipha remember?

(Zelda): shit

(Zelda): I will, I gave my word

Link grinned at his screen, doing a little happy dance.

(Link): u better

(Zelda): Alright, alright

(Link): Seriously

(Zelda): I will!

(Link): ok

(Link): I'm believing you

(Zelda): I really will

(Zelda): but first

(Zelda): I'm getting my hair cut

(Zelda): I've gotta be Bold

(Link): so excited!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wrote this white Zelda still had long hair, so... She got a haircut!


	21. Twenty One

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Link and Revali go on their first date.

October 25

(Revali)

The coffee shop was a tiny little homey place, with very few seats and even less room to stand up, but at one o'clock on a Thursday afternoon it miraculously wasn't too crowded. Most people probably had classes around this time, Revali guessed, but he wasn't complaining. Having the little shop almost all to themselves? That was ideal.

Not to be too superstitious, but... It seemed almost too perfect that there wasn't a rush. Like it was meant for them.

Regardless, it was a cute little place. He might try to come here to write some time, actually. The atmosphere was warm and friendly, all red brick and fake hardwood, the lighting soft and dim, but not too dark.

Revali smirked across the table, poking at Link's drink. "Is that even coffee?"

He gasped, taking a sip of his mocha frappe. "Of course it is... Better than literally just drinking coffee straight."

"Mine has cream in it, doesn't it?"

Shuddering, Link took another sip of his drink. "I know you're stronger than all of us, but you don't have to keep upping the game with these power moves."

He flashed him a bright smile. "I have to prove it somehow, don't I?"

Link rolled his eyes. "Alright, Mr. Humble."

"I have never once claimed to be humble."

"...you know what?" He reasoned for a moment, then shrugged. "That's true... Mr. Darcy."

Scoffing as pompously as possibly, Revali flipped his hair over his shoulder.

He still couldn't believe that he was here. Actually here, on a date with Link, and he was just making fun of his coffee order. Even though he wanted to be here, he wanted to be dating Link... He frowned.

"What is it?"

"Nothing." Revali shook his head. "I still just... I don't know."

"Lost in thought?"

Link was smiling, his freckles seeming to dance across his cheeks. How had he not appreciated those freckles more? They were adorable... And why did he keep running away from conversations with him? There was nothing intimidating in that face, nothing that would hurt him.

"Yeah, I guess you could say that."

"Well..." Link trailed off. "Man, I did not think this through."

Revali laughed. "What do you mean?"

His eyes darted around the table. "Just like... I have no clue what to talk about."

"Have you ever been on a date before?"

"Well..." Link shrugged. "Not really, no. I'm sure you have, though, Mr. Beautiful Humble Incredible."

Revali scoffed, but he was sure that he was blushing. "Yeah, right."

"Really?" 

"Well, the dating pool in Tabantha is small enough already," He pointed out, using one of those little straws to stir his coffee. "And that's for straight people. I'm a gai, trans feminine nonbinary person. That's an entirely different monster. To date someone they would have to first accept who I am, and then be attracted to all of it, and after that... Meet my incredibly high standards."

"And I meet your standards?" Link laughed.

Revali blushed. "Don't let it get to your head, Mr. Cartoon Hero."

"Yeah. But... Yeah, I get it." He took a finger full of whipped cream off the top of his drink. "I guess I didn't really date anyone back in Hateno, either. It's not exactly a big town."

"Neither is Tabantha; it's like a small town that someone smashed so that it has the most spread out layout ever."

Link snorted. "That's a funny way to describe it."

Revali shook his head. "No, it's true. We have two different signs that say 'Welcome to Tabantha' because it's been built around two major highways. I'm fairly sure there's no building over four stories in the entire town. Anywhere you want to go is sandwiched between marijuana dispensaries, small businesses proclaiming they sell pull tabs, and liquor stores."

"That... Sounds kind of awful."

"It is, at least, to me; I'm glad that I got such a good scholarship to go here. If I had to go instate..." He shuddered. "There are a few good schools, but I'd rather not. Your only choices tend to be... Interesting, or isolating. Or both."

"Well, it's pretty interesting here." Link pointed out, slurping at more of the whipped cream. "We have that arson thing."

"Have they figured out that it was an arson?"

He shook his head. "Nope. Or at least, if they have, they won't release the info. We want the truth, people!"

Revali laughed. "I'm sure it's nothing."

Link shrugged. "Eh, probably. But still, that's a pretty serious thing to not announce results on."

"Maybe they won't announce anything because it was arson." He guessed, taking another sip of coffee. "That's certainly a possibility. But no, it does seem like it's been too long."

When his parents cabin burned down they had definitive information on it within a couple of weeks. Admittedly, they had a wood stove as their primary method of warming the cabin, and two deaths as motivation, but...

Link shrugged again, slurping off more whipped cream.

"Are you just going to keep doing that?"

He stiffened. "Doing what?"

"Just eating the whipped cream." Revali wrinkled his nose. "It'll all be melted by the time you get to your actual coffee."

Link nodded. "I like the whipped cream. Ask Zelda, this is always how I drink coffee."

"Weird."

"Not as weird as just ordering black coffee."

Revali rolled his eyes. "That's an opinion."

"Well, my opinion is that coffee is best eaten whipped cream first." Link grinned.

"Your opinion isn't valid."

He snorted, then immediately reached up to cup his nose, coughing a little bit.

"What is it?"

Link shook his head, grabbed a napkin, blew his nose, then shuddered a little bit. "Accidentally snorted whipped cream up my nose."

"...how?"

"It was in my mouth, then-"

"I know that, but how? People only do that in movies... Right?" Revali raised an eyebrow. "Stop laughing at me!"

"Wait." Link did a sign like 'time out.' "You've never accidentally shot milk out of your nose?" 

"No...? I'm lactose intolerant, remember?"

He rolled his eyes, putting his hands on his hips. "Who actually pays attention to that, though?"

Revali shrugged, sipping at his coffee. "Me?"

"You're like, the only person I've met who does."

"That's... Fair. I just love myself too much for that."

Link laughed, learning nothing from his past mistakes and continuing to work on the whipped cream.

"What?"

He shrugged. "I guess, when you think about it, it does make sense that not eating dairy is loving yourself. But if you decide to twist your words a little tiny bit and put it this way-"

Revali shook his head, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Oh no."

"Self care is not eating things that make you shit your brains out!" Link declared proudly, grinning from ear to ear. "Which sounds disgusting and hilarious."

"This is why we can't go anywhere."

"We've never gone anywhere before this, you know."

Revali shrugged. "I am aware."

"Wait." Link froze. "Didn't you say there's cream in your coffee?"

"Oh, I'm sorry, let me be more specific." He made a big deal of rolling his eyes, moving his head a little with it. "Non-dairy coffee creamer substitute."

"Just making sure; wouldn't want you to lose your perfect streak of self-care."

Still, even though Link responded in kind with all of the jokes, with that little way he snickered, and the wink... Revali was hit with that same feeling that he just wasn't... 

Revali was scared. That's what it was, he may as well say it. Scared that Link would suddenly realize who he was on a date with, and...

They don't dislike you. Yet.

"I do have a perfect record." Revali flipped his hair over his shoulder, winking right back at him.

Link blushed, turned bright red and trying to hide behind his frappe.

"You know," He continued, taking a sip of his own coffee. "If you left some of the whipped cream on that, it would be far easier to hide behind."

Why was he still teasing him like this? It wasn't fair to anyone and it probably wasn't funny.

Link seemed to think it was, though, barely containing laughter as he squished himself as small as possible to fit behind the coffee cup. 

"Never." He signed, still slumped down in his chair. "I'm tiny enough to. And it's not fair, you're too pretty."

And, of course, that got Revali blushing. One would think that, with his skin tone and moderate coverage foundation it wouldn't show much, but Revali knew that wasn't the case. It was always obvious when he was blushing, just with different things... Like only parts of his neck turning red. Thank goodness he was wearing his scarf.

"And that's why you like me? For my good looks?"

"Of course." Link smirked. "You'd do wonders for my Instagram. Be my muse."

Revali snorted before he could help himself.

"What is it? Do you not think so?" He feigned shock. "Really?"

"Nothing could save your Instagram."

Even Revali himself winced at that one. Link didn't seem to be bothered, but... That still didn't make it okay. Link was just here, trying to go on a date with him, and he just kept insulting him. It didn't take any experience at all to know that wasn't how to do things, especially when he actually did like him.

He was actually on a date with Link.

Just that sudden realization, even though he already knew that, reasonably, had his stomach doing flips... Not like he hadn't been panicking about this since he asked him out. But this was it; it was actually happening.

Link's brows were drawn up together, his drink pushed out of the way so that he could lean farther across the table. "You okay?"

"Yeah." Revali lied with a smile, trying to swallow his nerves. "Just a bit, uh..."

Depending on how you looked at the football thing, the party... He lied. He had been on a date. A date with-

"Are you nervous?" Link laughed a little bit. "We live together, this is just like..."

"Hanging out?"

"Yeah." He nodded, finishing up the whipped cream. "To be fair though..."

"You are every bit as nervous as I am, Link Wilde, don't try to lie."

"I mean, yeah." Link admitted with a shrug. "It's just weird because you didn't seem nervous until right now."

"Well, I was." Revali stated, fiddling with his scarf. "Though I'm not sure why; it really is more like we're hanging out."

"Should we... Ask each other more date-like questions?"

"Fuck no."

"Great!" Link agreed, nodding. "Those are awful. What's your vision for the future? Do you want kids? What's your relationship like with your mother?"

Revali shuddered. "Those all sound terrible."

"Exactly. So we can ask each other normal, friendly questions?"

"...sure?"

"Flight, or invisibility?"

"Easy." He scoffed. "Flight."

Link blinked. "Really? I would have thought invisibility for you."

"Why?"

"You always seem like you're hiding, all the time. In our dorm room, in classes these days, when we're going places... I mean, it's not a bad thing. I'd probably pick invisibility too. Sneaker."

Revali felt frozen. "I... Haven't been hiding."

But he was lying. He knew that was lying the moment the words passed his lips. He'd been hiding this long, and... Link made him not feel like hiding. Link made him feel alive.

He was going to break out of it. It had just taken a bit, that was all.

Link shrugged. "Just what I thought."

"Weird." He tossed his hair. "Well, I've always loved birds, and I've always dreamed of flying, so whenever it's a choice? That's what I'm going to pick."

"That... Makes sense. Can I ask you something?"

Revali took a sip of his coffee. "What is it?"

"What's the story about your toy bird? The little crow?"

"It's a raven." He corrected. "And..."

Did he tell him? Could he?

"His name is Bird. Just something I brought from home."

Link smiled. "That's really cute."

Revali blushed, but a guilty pit still formed in his stomach.

You just keep lying to him.

"I mean, I didn't think I'd really make very many friends." He admitted, drinking some more coffee. "Other than the group project, there aren't very many people I talk to."

"You are pretty intimidating."

"I know." Revali admitted. "Keeps people on their toes."

"But like... Also intimidating pretty."

He laughed. "That's not a thing."

Link snickered. "Yes it is."

"Is not."

"Totally is."

"Intimidating pretty? Where someone is pretty and intimidating?"

"Yup." Link grinned.

"Give me one example." 

He sucked more whipped cream off the top of his drink. "You."

Revali scoffed, rolling his eyes. "You bastard."

Link grinned. "You know it."


	22. Twenty Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Halloween is here, and Link has brought most of the group along to one of his photography friend's parties. With a new boyfriend, a fun holiday, and excitement in the air, what could go wrong?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Was the last chapter fluff?

October 26

(Daruk)

If he was honest, Daruk only came to this Halloween party because his friends were going. It felt weird because he didn't know the host, some thin, bleach blonde photography kid Link knew, and everyone else seemed to disappear nearly instantly. Wherever Zelda and Mipha, or Link and Revali were, Daruk hoped they were having fun... Though neither couple seem likely to be hooking up in some back room of a college party full of underage drinking and bad breath.

He hated parties. Sure, he loved telling stories, and people, and all that; but smaller groups were really where he was at. A whole crowd? That was out of his element. As it was he was sure that he was the most sociable geology major at this school. Maybe at any school, who knows. Geology majors aren't exactly known for being reasonable people.

Understatement of the century, but anyway.

"Hey, excuse me-" A pretty girl with bright pink hair woven with leaves stopped directly in front of him, close enough he could practically drown in the smell of weed coming off of her. "Where's the bathroom?"

"Uh, down that hall." Daruk pointed. "To the left, right there."

She smiled. "Thanks... Santa? Are you Santa?"

The costume was really lame, but that was what he ended up going with. "Yeah?"

Giggling she whispered something incomprehensible involving the word elf, something about a blunt, and other... Activities. Teetering precariously on her high heels, she made her way over to the bathroom.

"Weird."

This friend of Link's must know some odd people; that wasn't even the strangest encounter of the night. At least two people had gotten puked on already. There was a dance off on a table. A boy earlier insisted on sitting in his lap.

Was that uncomfortable.

Figuring that he could catch a little break out on the back porch, he slipped out of the sliding glass doors and pulled them shut behind him. It was a little chilly out, so the only ones he expected to be out here would be the people smoking...

But there was Revali, the last person he expected to see alone.

Maybe it was how pretty Revali was; no one could deny that the guy was knock out gorgeous. He could probably be a model, if he wanted to. And the fact he was dating Link, one of the most talkative guys Daruk knew... It was weird, to say the least, to find him out, standing at the railing, a red solo cup in hand. He was still wearing his cat ears, but the tail he tucked in his skirt had mysteriously disappeared. Though, with the quality of the party, that wasn't too surprising.

"Just not your night?" Daruk asked, joining him at the railing.

Revali swirled the liquid in his cup; it looked like the spiked punch they were serving inside, but it didn't seem like he had even touched it. "I guess not."

"Something bothering you?"

"No." He answered quickly, flinching a little. "Everything's fine, just... People I didn't want to see, you know?"

"Yikes." Daruk shook his head, but made sure Revali could see the little smirk on his face. "Been at this school half a semester and you've already got enemies?"

Daruk already knew about the whole Gan party thing, but it was his guess that it wasn't really a big thing. His theory? He turned down the big guy in front of his friends, so now he was making Revali sound like a crazy bitch. It would probably calm down.

But to him...

Revali huffed, looking away. "Yeah. I guess you could say that."

Maybe the joke went over his head, but maybe...

"Vali, you okay?"

"I already told you, nothing's bothering me."

Daruk knew he wasn't the most observant guy. He knew that he didn't notice things other people did, and that he was dense as a rock sometimes. But it didn't take someone very sharp to be able to tell that Revali was lying.

"You know, it's alright if something is."

He exhaled for a long time, still looking away. His shoulders were stiff, and he kept shifting his weight from side to side.

"You can't tell anyone." Revali whispered, meeting Daruk's eyes. "You have to swear."

"Alright, I swear."

"Daruk, this is-" he took another rushed breath. "It's serious, I don't know if I- if... Never mind. Forget I said a word."

"I won't tell anybody, I promise." He reassured him, suddenly wanting to wrap an arm around his shoulders but not doing it because he wasn't sure if it'd be appropriate or not.

"I said forget it."

"Okay... Sorry, I shouldn't have pushed you like that."

A gust of wind rustled the sad leaves still clinging to the trees, whipping his hair around his face. The sounds of the party inside got louder for a moment, like something crazier still was going on. Neither of them said a word.

"Daruk, I don't know how to say this." Revali admitted, worrying at the end of one of his braids. "You have to promise again not to tell anyone. Promise?"

Daruk gave him a firm nod. "I promise. Now what's eatin' you up?"

Revali tensed, squeezing his eyes shut and sucking in a deep breath. Daruk half expected him to say "Nothing, never mind" again and leave it at that, but he let out the breath. Slowly, he let the tension out of his shoulders.

"I was raped."

Daruk's mind went completely blank, trying to comprehend what he'd just been told. Raped? On campus? His head was spinning.

"Are you okay?"

Standing there next to Revali, he tried to offer as much comfort as he could. Hell, he wasn't sure what he should do. The wind grew louder.

Revali swallowed. "Yeah, I'm... It was a while back. During first quarter, actually. I'm fine, now. Just... Never mind, everything's fine, you know? Just needed to tell someone eventually and stop feeling like I was lying all the time."

"Hey, it's alright - I'm here for you." Daruk cast a glance over at him. "Have you talked to anyone else about it?"

Revali gave a mirthless laugh. "Talked to anyone? You're the only person I've told."

Daruk blinked hard. Twice. 

"Well... Do you want to talk about it, or would you rather just... Talk? In general?"

Revali shrugged, then let out a fluttery breath. "Sorry, I'm just... I can't believe I admitted it out loud, you know?"

Daruk tried to keep his facial expression neutral, but something about Revali's voice definitely had him concerned as to his mental presence. It seemed like just a stress reaction, but he almost looked like he was smiling. As if Daruk couldn't be any more worried, he downed his punch and tossed the cup into the grass.

"I can't even imagine." 

Revali laughed that awful laugh again, this time his shoulders shaking in what looked more like sobs than laughter. "I'm fine - I really am, I swear. It's just... Like I said, I havn't admitted it before now, and it's all catching up to me now that I've admitted it. I don't even drink, you know that? That's my third cup. Or was it my fourth?"

Daruk nodded very slowly. "It's okay, I'm here for you."

"Don't patronize me." He snapped.

"Sorry."

"No... No, I should be sorry - you didn't ask for this." Revali stood up a little straighter, and fixed his skirt. "I'll just - I should be heading back to my dorm, anyway. I'm not sure how I ended up agreeing to go to this party, anyway. Link gets pretty convincing sometimes, I guess, with those pretty little puppy dog eyes... I'll leave you to... Whatever you were doing before."

With that he stepped away from the railing on shaky legs, almost falling over. Daruk was next to him in an instant, ready to stabilize him. In truth, his hands felt just as shaky as Revali was.

"I was thinking about heading back to the dorms, too. Parties aren't my thing." He lied, but Revali looked relieved. "Mind if I walk you back?"

The tension in Revali's shoulders immediately dropped. "Oh, we live in the same building, right?"

"Yeah." Daruk lied again, nodding. "You ready, or-"

"Yeah, let's go." Revali stood up a little straighter, then started two paces in the wrong direction. "Oops - wrong way."

"Hey, hey, Revali." Daruk put a hand on his shoulder. "Are you okay?"

Revali took a deep breath in - then let it out. "I'm just... Panicking, a little bit."

"Okay." Daruk tried to keep his focus. "What are you panicking about?"

"Well... Having told you, I think."

"Why?"

"I don't know! It's just..." He shook his head. "Saying it out loud? Admitting that it happened? That I wasn't, that it didn't..."

"Hey," Daruk resettled his hand into Revali's shoulder. "It's not your fault."

He looked away from him. "Yeah, I-"

"I'm serious, Revali." Daruk met his petrified, wide open eyes. "It's not your fault."

Dead silence. The leaves rustled, people in the house talking loudly.

"I know that." He finally said, taking in a breath. "Come on, let's go back to the dorms."

"Alright." Daruk sighed, wishing he could just... Do more. "Alright."

The walk back to the dorms made it very apparent to both of them that the weather was getting a lot colder. Regardless, he got him back safely, and up into his own dorm. The whole time they barely said a word. Revali's eyes looked glassy, and...

Daruk sure as hell didn't believe that he was okay. He said that he didn't drink, and now he was drinking? That was not a good sign, at all.

"Alright, you're on the third floor, so..." He glanced at the stairs once they got in, and the still out of order elevator. "I'll walk you up there."

Revali sighed, squeezing his eyes shut. "I'm fine, I'll be okay if I go up there on my own."

"Vali, you're legs are shaking."

"And?" 

"And I'm not gonna let you go all the way up the stairs if you keep looking like you're about to fall over." Daruk stated. "Now, let's head up, okay?"

He rolled his eyes. "Okay, fine."

As they made their way up the stairs, Revali looked more and more tired. Maybe it was just the drinking and maybe it wasn't, Daruk couldn't tell, but one think was obvious: he was exhausted. The kid looked about the collapse.

The kid? Daruk blinked a couple times shaking his head a little. This guy was his age, how was he thinking of him as a kid?   
Probably how he looked, then again. Revali was too skinny, and there was something about how he looked... It didn't make much sense. But looking at him made Daruk feel how he did whenever he was around his younger siblings and cousins, no matter how much makeup he wore, or how many big words he used.

"Thank you for walking me up, Daruk." Revali breathed, jiggling the key in the doorknob. "I appreciate it."

"Does Link know you headed back?"

His eyebrows shot up. "I... Need to do that. Text him."

Daruk frowned, leaning against the side of the doorframe. "You okay?"

Revali clicked his tongue, rolling his eyes. "Yes, Daruk, I've already said I'm-"

"Yeah, you did, but I'm not sure if I believe it." 

"Believe it." He said quickly, eyes narrowed. "Look, I know what I told you, and... I don't need your help."

Daruk, unsure of what else to do, shrugged. "I'm here if you need me, anyway."

The corners of Revali's mouth pinched into a frown. "Alright. Thank you, Daruk."

"You're welcome, Valls."

"Valls?" He raised an eyebrow. "Vali is weird enough."

"If you don't like it-"

"It doesn't matter." Revali shook his head again, starting to unwind a braid. "Goodnight, Daruk."

"Night, Vali."

But as he walked away, something didn't feel right. Daruk didn't know what it was, but... He had always followed his gut before. When it comes to people, places, anything really. And right now? All he could tell was that something wasn't right.

Something was not how it should have been.

***

(Link)

The party was fun, but maybe not all Link wanted it to be. That was probably his fault, for having high expectations. Everything online had only ever told him not to expect too much from college parties, and had he listened?

In all honesty, though, it was fun. Even though most people were more than a little bit tipsy off the spiked punch, and the costumes were all fairly slutty. Which, in his Fiona costume, he supposed he fit in.  
It was a little uncomfortable, being dressed this feminine, but the costume was fun. And with Revali...

Never mind, actually. Revali stayed with him for half an hour at most, then disappeared, saying something about fresh air. But of course, when Link actually went out to look for him, he was gone. It wasn't until a while later that he got the text.

(Revali): I'm not feeling well

(Revali): Daruk walked me back to the dorm

(Link): get some rest ok?

(Revali): Okay

And that was that. He wasn't feeling well? Revali had seemed like he was doing okay at first, but... Actually, never mind. More groups had crammed themselves into the little frat house, making the air thick and claustrophobic. That was when Revali had slipped away and, now that he thought about it, he had looked very pale. 

Link took another sip of his punch, deciding to be bold and go over to where some of the football team was hanging out. That appeared to be where things were going on right now, and...

(Link): would u b good if I was out longer??

(Revali): I don't mind 

And with that, he sat down on the couch next to the host, his photography major friend Ghirahim, laughing along with a lame joke. Might as well make the most of this, right?

The picturesque college life had never seemed more real.


	23. Twenty Three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The next morning, after the party. Revali wakes up with a headache... And more than a little regret.

October 27

Revali woke up Saturday morning with a killer headache. Probably from the alcohol, but... Last night he at least had the decency to take off his lashes, and to change into pajamas out of the tight little 'cat' costume he was in. That was something. But his face was a frightening mess of makeup, nonetheless; and his hair was wild... he should have just left the braids in for the night.

Back in Tabantha, he wouldn't have hesitated to drink in the right crowd (aka, alone). Sure, sure, Alaska has a huge alcohol problem and he shouldn't contribute, but... He couldn't really explain it. There was a comfort in just having a drink or two. He stopped midway through high school when it got a little too comforting, though. Nowadays? He didn't drink. That much hadn't been a lie.

And it was never at parties, either. He went to one or two back home, never good ideas since he didn't know anyone. It was... Interesting to show up looking like he did. Once he got asked if he was a drag queen. Another time he got a drink dumped on him. Those kinds of things in general, while they were fun in concept, had never been good to Revali, and it most certainly wasn't looking like that was going to change any time soon.

Definitely not.

Link had already handed him the cup of punch, and he had already taken a sip when he realized he shouldn't drink it. It just wasn't a good idea, with all the people around...

But he didn't leave the drink, though. He didn't tell Link that he didn't drink, he didn't politely decline. He drank it down as discreetly as he could, and got himself another. And another.

Maybe he could drown it out, you know?

Something about it, thinking about that sticky red punch, made him want to vomit. For not being very hungover, he sure did feel sick.

It took another three seconds to remember what he told Daruk.

Immediately, it felt as if all the blood in Revali's body drained out of him. How could he tell him? After what he was threatened? After what he said?

Because all he knew when Link invited him to that party, to that fucking party, was that one of his friends was hosting it. One of his friends from the Photography Club, of all places. Nice guy, apparently. 

What was his name? Ghirahim. 

How had Revali not remembered that?

Because when they arrived and he saw him, dressed in skimpy clothes and a tiny witch hat, he felt like he was going to vomit. It was that bleached blonde hair, bluntly cut right along his jawline. Pale skin. Blue eyes. Thinner than a rail, as Teba would say.

Ghirahim. The boy from Gan's Instagram.

Ghirahim. Gan's boyfriend.

How was Link friends with him? Did he know?

He couldn't know. And if he did, he didn't see a problem with it. He didn't understand the rumors, if he had heard them. He didn't know the weight associated with it.

Revali thought he would be fine, that he would be composed, that him hosting didn't mean Gan would be here, but all of that composure left him when the football team arrived. 

There he was. All height and muscle, red hair and black athletic wear, laughing about something his buddy said. Moving forward like an animal, like he was stalking prey.

And he did what he always did: he ran, onto the back porch, where Daruk found him. And he told him.

The flash of Gan's eyes, the glint of light on his teeth. 

Revali stumbled over to the toilet, barely getting the lid up before he puked. Retching and retching, over and over, trying to get those thoughts out of his head. Trying to rid himself of that image.

Something touched the small of Revali's back, freezing him where he was. He was petrified. 

For sure, he was dead.

The text message. 

Teeth.

More bile and punch retched up, making his body shake and convulse.

The touch, however, was quickly followed by Link's gentle shushing, and his boyfriend gathering his hair to hold it back.

Safe. He was safe.

"Thank you." Revali choked out.

Link just kept holding his hair, rubbing his back in a gentle, soothing way.

"I'm fine, really... I just think I'm getting a little sick."

He laughed. Revali couldn't really get any words from it, considering the fact that Link's hands were currently both on his back, but it had the effect of "You think?"

"I mean, I wasn't feeling very good at the party, either." He admitted, pulling back from the toilet. "Alright, I think I'm good."

Link nodded, handing over a paper towel. "Here, wipe off your face."

Revali took it, cleaning off the vomit. Of course, it was on his hair too... He would just need to shower at this point.

Quite frankly, he also just didn't feel clean.

He never felt clean, anymore. And he didn't think he ever would.

He sure as hell didn't feel safe, either.

"I'm gonna shower off, okay?" Revali pulled himself to his feet, tossing the paper towel in the trash. "My makeup is all over."

"It is a little scary." Link agreed, standing up with him. "You need anything?"

He shook his head. "Just my phone to play music on."

"Okay, I can grab that for you."

As Link ran off to do that, thoughts spiraled through Revali's head. He did that. He told him. He told Daruk. How? Why? All he was going to do is get both of them hurt or killed or worse or-

"Here you go." Link handed him the phone, then got up on his tiptoes to kiss Revali on the cheek.

Automatically, he blushed. "You know, you could get sick."

Link shrugged. "Don't really care."

And it was bad to think it, as he left the bathroom and Revali shut the door behind him, but he was at least glad it wasn't Link who knew. And Gan wouldn't do anything to Daruk, just to him. But he couldn't die knowing that Link knew he was a liar.

Because at this point, maybe besides Daruk, no one would believe him if he told the truth. They would think he was being creepy. That he was being an attention whore.

(Revali): Hey

(Daruk): you doing okay???

(Revali): Yeah I'm fine.

(Revali): About last night... Don't tell anyone?

(Revali): What I said, I mean

(Daruk): I wouldn't dream of it.

(Daruk): Do you want to talk about it?

(Revali): No.

(Daruk): At least go to the school councilor 

(Revali): Ok, thank you

(Daruk): I'm serious 

(Revali): I know

So he turned on the shower, hoped for the water pressure to be working right today, and started stripping. 

But, of course...

The bathroom door was locked. He checked it twice, three times... It was still locked every time, but it still didn't feel safe.

Would it ever feel safe?

Would he ever feel clean?

It was a cliche way to go, for sure. Death in the shower. There was something about being naked that made it so much worse, the idea of dying like that, being a corpse left in the shower...

How did he used to love being naked?

Revali shook his head, running his hands through his hair. Push all those thoughts back, finally just get something done. 

And hope Daruk keeps his mouth shut, even though there was no way he was talking to the school councilor. He had talked to enough of those in his life by now; and he didn't need another one. They never did anything, never helped.

Turning on his music, he blocked out all of those thoughts.

***

(Link)

It had been about twenty minutes before Link heard the water switch off, having just finished up his history reading response. Part of him, admittedly, had been a little worried the whole time. Was Revali okay? What if he slipped and fell and died, and Link didn't even hear anything over the loud music he was playing?

But he heard the water switch off, which meant he definitely would have heard it if Revali died... And that he was still alive. That was a relief. 

How he didn't think he would hear anything through their thin dorm walls...

Rolling his eyes at his own anxiety, Link submitted the report. Now, what else did he have to get done... To Kill a Mockingbird was staring at him from its spot on his desk, half-covered with other paperwork. He was rereading it (per Revali's, irritating but good, advice) and had reached the lull near the center. Sure, it was where all of the foreshadowing bits happened, but... It was a little boring. Everyone was happy, Boo Radley was strange, the whole works. It was just... Normal life. If it weren't for him, he wouldn't be rereading the thing in the-

Then Revali came out of the bathroom wrapped only in a towel, not wearing a spot of makeup.

And it was cliche, especially since he had seen him out of makeup before, but... He was beautiful. Makeup or no, his lashes were long and thick, fluttering against his gorgeous cheekbones. His lips were so perfect resting open just like that, collarbones catching the weird dorm room light. The way his baby hairs stuck to his skin...

"Didn't want to just change into the same dirty pajamas." Revali explained, clinging to his towel as he rooted around for something to wear.

Link was overwhelmed by how cute he was. Everything, from the way his wet hair was just pulled back into a single french braid to the way he held his towel to also cover his chest was adorable. 

"You know what?" He stood, turned around to face Link's side of the room, grabbed a sweatshirt off the top of his wardrobe, and tossed it on. "You don't mind, do you?"

All Link could do was blush and shake his head. There was something about him being in his shirt...

"Because there is no way in fucking hell I am dressing up today; I'm sick as hell." Revali muttered, grabbing a pair of sweatpants. "Hey, I'm dressed like you."

Greatly over exaggerating, he rolled his eyes. "At least I'm not dressed like you."

"Can you imagine?"

Link shook his head. "No way in hell."

"You'd never wear makeup?" Revali asked, raising an eyebrow. "Not even if it was drag or something?"

"I mean, you don't do drag."

"No, but... People compare it anyway." Revali shrugged, sitting down on his bed. "So from other people's perspectives..."

"That's fucked up."

"Yeah, well, isn't everything?" He shrugged. "I can understand that, though."

Link nodded. "I spend enough time trying to look masculine that I'm not too interested in dressing up like you."

"That makes sense... It just makes me feel more tired to dress 'like a boy.'" Revali did air quotes. "Doesn't help that I'm sick today, I suppose."

"Yeah, that doesn't make anything easier." He frowned, looking down at his hands. "I'm sorry for dragging you to that party last night. You didn't seem like you had a good time."

"I was just glad you didn't make it a big deal that I left, honestly. It was fine."

"No, you were sick, it wasn't fine."

"Well, I had fun while I was feeling good." Revali declared, tucking his baby hairs behind his ear. "Don't feel bad at all, okay? Nothing's wrong, I just had to leave early."

"Okay," Link nodded, letting out a little sigh. "I just felt bad about it, because you seemed sick, and I only realized later that I never went to make sure you were okay."

"I don't mind. We're both adults, aren't we?"

"Yeah." He smiled. "Anything I can do for you, babe?"

"Babe?" Revali raised an eyebrow. "Are you the pet names type?"

Link shrugged. "I guess? Unless you don't like it."

A faint smile rested on his lips. "No... I don't think I mind one bit."

***

October 28

"So, what'd you think of my party?" The first words out of Ghirahim's mouth were, predictably, about himself. "I was happy to see you showed up. You know, you're so... Quiet."

Link shrugged. "I mean, I guess so? I-"

"And you stayed, too!" He grinned, pulling out his phone. "Otherwise I wouldn't have gotten this great shot of you."

The photo was... A picture of himself. It looked good! It really did - but Link was never really satisfied with his own appearance in photos. 

"A shame your friend had to leave early."

"Boyfriend." Link corrected, a soft smile tugging at his lips. "And he's just feeling a little sick, he'll be okay."

Ghirahim hummed. "Well, tell him to get well soon, alright? Don't want it getting worse, you know."

He nodded. "I will. And I took a couple pictures too, here..."

***

October 29

(Mipha)

Every time Zelda asked her if she wanted to hang out, Mipha was ecstatic - even if it was just to study together in the library. They were never dates, sure, but just getting to be around Zelda... She was incredible, and so adorable, and...

Her new haircut had her blushing up a storm. It suited her so well. A little odd, a little eccentric, but very practical. That was her Zelda, after all.

Her Zelda. Listen to her being so-

"Sorry I'm late, Mipha." Zelda panted, sliding into the chair across from her. "I... Have no good excuse. But I hurried to get here."

Mipha laughed. "That's alright. Now, what is it you wanted to work on?"

"Actually, before we start... I wanted to ask you something."

"Sure." She shrugged, flipping her bullet journal closed. "What is it?"

"I... Well... First can I admit something?"

Mipha couldn't help but smile. "Anything you need to get off your chest, love."

Zelda turned red; had she embarrassed her? "Whenever I ask you to come do these things with me, it's always because I... I'm always chickening out of making them dates."

She blinked. "What?"

"I have a crush on you, and... Will you be my girlfriend?"

Mipha couldn't believe her ears. "You do?"

Zelda looked like she was bracing herself. "Yeah?"

"Yes. Yes, yes yes! If we weren't in a library, I would be louder.

She laughed. "Then you-?"

"You're beautiful, Zelda. Inside and out."

Zelda blushed, looking down at the table. "Oh shit, we have history work due."

Mipha chuckled. "Then we had better get started on that."

"Sorry, I ruined the moment, didn't I?"

She shook her head. "No moment's ruined when it's with you."


	24. Twenty Four

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Link and Revali go on a study date!

November 1

(Revali)

Revali checked that the dorm door was locked for the fifth time since he got back from lunch. Link wasn't back yet, considering the fact that it was a little past three o'clock on a Thursday and he basically just left for class, and... He was already feeling a little alone. It had been almost a week since he told Daruk, and it felt like he was just counting down the hours until he would die.

And even though at first he thought it was just Gan getting to his head... he really was getting sick. From the pressure in his sinuses and the lingering headache that wouldn't seem to go away... He had no energy to put into anything but his schoolwork, which meant he and Link's relationship had taken the back burner, after just a couple days of being together.

Why did it seem like nothing could go right with them? They had barely started dating, and yet...

Maybe that was just what Revali was bringing to the table, right now. In the past week he'd been a sick, tense, paranoid mess that couldn't focus on a thing. It was... Painful, to say the least. Probably more so for Link than himself. And even before that, it was like all he did was sap Link's energy. It was just terrible.

Especially since he was about to die.

No, you can't think that. Revali squeezed his eyes shut, trying to force those thoughts out of his head. Positivity. What did he need to do right now? There was the Bio report, but that really only needed proofreading, and the short story for creative writing... But they were workshopping that tomorrow morning. Was he free right now?

No, because the outline for his part of the English project was still glaring at him. He had worked on it all the way up to the point where everything started to go to shit and, honestly? His own life was like that enough right now. No time for Gatsby to be having his own break down too. 

Get your shit together, Gatsby, he wanted to say. One of us has to.

But, he also had that project... Which meant he possibly had to go to the library.

The library.

Revali swallowed, feeling his whole body go cold. He would be fine; he'd been to the library plenty of times and he was fine. But still, maybe he should dress more low-key? Right now he wasn't very dressed up, but leggings could draw attention to, well... The fact he wasn't a girl. Or a boy. Or whatever the hell people thought at first. Or at second. Damn it.

It was frustrating as hell, but Revali supposed that was just life.

His sweatshirt was long, anyway though. It covered up his entire ass (when Link wore it, he nearly disappeared completely). This would be fine.

But still...

Taking a deep breath, Revali gathered his things to head to the library. That was simple enough, and he looked fine... As long as he wore sunglasses. And his roots really were growing in terribly; he really needed to figure out what he was going to do about that. And this tube of Chapstick was almost empty...  
Revali rolled his eyes, decided that nothing was going well for him today, apparently, and threw his backpack over his shoulders. This was just how it was going to be.

Life sucks, after all, like Teba would say. Deal with it.

But the moment he stepped out of his dorm room it was like a totally different world. The hallways weren't big at all, normally they were tiny and stifling, and yet it felt as if someone was watching him. All the way down the stairs Revali kept glancing back, making sure no one was there. 

He could still feel eyes on him. 

Watching him.

Waiting.

No one is there, he tried to reassure himself. And if they are...

Stand taller. Head up, chest out, eyes forward. Like Teba would say: never let them see you sweat. Calm as could be, his face set forward, he started on his way down the stairs.

Though, before he headed to the library... If he could grab a yogurt, that would be great. There were usually extra from breakfast crammed into the commons room fridge. He wasn't sure what saint decided to take the time to move all of them, or if the staff decided to be kind and put them in there, but... They were truly the best. 

So he turned, stifling a cough before stepping into the commons.

And everyone went silent. Then, as if rehearsed, they began to whisper.

Watching.

You've dealt with this before, Revali reminded himself, a stab of pain striking him through the heart. Don't pay any attention to them. 

Taking his yogurt, he held his head higher, turned, and left... But he didn't go to the library. After that, he didn't think he could go anywhere at all.

All the while, though, he couldn't help but wonder how easy it would be to see which dorm room he lived in, and follow him there.

***

(Link)

(Link): study dates are a thing right???

(Zelda): yea why

(Link): good, bc I don't even understand what were doing in stats anymore

(Zelda): *we're

(Link): wow, I can't believe my own best friend is turning against me

(Zelda): I correct your grammar and now I'm evil???

(Link): yep

(Zelda): You're right

(Zelda): I'm evil now

Snickering a little to himself, Link slid his phone back into his hoodie pocket. He had just gotten back from his writing class, only to be faced with the blackboard notification about stats work he had yet to finish... Due at eleven forty five. Not midnight. It was as if he designed it specifically to catch students relying on midnight.

The good thing was, it was online this time. Yay for the trees! The bad thing was...

"Hey, Revali?" Link waved, trying to get his attention. "How do you feel about maybe... Getting some coffee or something and having a little study date?"

Revali raised an eyebrow. "Four thirty in the afternoon is a little late for coffee."

"That has literally never stopped you before."

He shrugged. "You're right; let's go."

"Great!" Link grinned, gathering up his things.

"Wait." Revali stopped. "What do you need help studying for?"

"I... Don't understand something in stats." He admitted, throwing his backpack over his shoulders. "And it's due tonight."

"Well, looks like I've certainly got my work cut out for me."

"Still up for it?"

Revali rolled his eyes, completely over the top. "I suppose."

"Alright, alright..." Link chuckled. "Now, let's go get some coffee, I'm falling asleep here." 

"You mean some whipped cream?"

He elbowed him lightly, and they were both out the door.

***

"I'm just saying, though," Link signed for the billionth time as they walked up on the little coffee shop. "How do you just drink coffee plain like that?"

"I just got used to it." Revali shrugged. "It's really not that bitter."

"Yes. It is."

"Well, that's just because you're weak."

He shook his head. "It isn't weak to not eat gross things for fun."

"It isn't-" Revali sighed, shaking his head. "Never mind."

Link stepped forward to hold the door open, and they both stepped inside. 

He really liked this little place - Cucco Coffee. The warm, cozy atmosphere, the soft lighting, the way the whole thing seemed a little rugged and mismatch... It was adorable, and he loved it.

It helped, of course, that one of his friends from photography club worked here and introduced him to it. Ghirahim was a weird friend, and he didn't often know boundaries, and he got a little creepy sometimes, but... He was one of the only queer photography lovers on campus Link had gotten the guts to talk to, which made his flaws seem a little more subdued.

"Link, hello!" Ghirahim greeted from behind the counter. "And... Who is this you've brought with you?"

Revali seemed to go stiff next to him; did they know each other? 

"Oh, Ghira, this is my boyfriend, Revali, Revali, this is my friend, Ghirahim. You know, the one who threw the Halloween party?"

He nodded very slowly, mechanically, almost. "Nice to meet you, Ghirahim."

"Likewise." And even Link didn't miss the venom in that.

They definitely knew each other. What was going on?

"Anyway..." Link glanced between them, trying to figure out how to diffuse the situation. "We were just getting some coffee before going to study..."

"Good plans, good plans." Ghirahim said, but his eyes were still on Revali. "How's that awful English class thing coming up?"

"It's coming up." Revali answered. "We're on the same group for it, actually. I'd say it's going well, for those of us not stuck with Hemingway."

He faked a smile. "Wonderful. Just... Wonderful."

"O-kay..." Link chuckled awkwardly, feeling more and more like he was watching the precursor to a fight. "You know what I like to drink, Ghira."

"Something more sugary than sugar itself, iced, with whipped cream on top so you can suck the whipped cream off the top like a maniac."

He glanced over at Revali to see if he'd be giving him a look, but he wasn't. His eyes were set dead forward, face pale.

What?

"And... Revali will want a large black coffee."

Ghirahim blinked. "Straight?"

Link laughed. "I know, right?"

Revali mustered a little bit of a response for that, but... Nothing.

"Alright, polar opposite coffees, coming up."

***

While Link had originally planned to just stay in the coffee shop, obviously that was not going to work. Revali and Ghirahim clearly had some kind of issue between them, and if they did he was afraid they would just end up with a fight. Both of them were acting just completely out of character: Ghirahim upright and stiff, Revali... Emotionless.

What was going on?

Because the walk from the coffee shop to the library was a whole lot more of the same from Revali, completely expressionless, barely responding to anything. But-

"Do you need to go back to the dorms?" Link had asked.

Revali had shaken his head. "No, I'm good."

So they kept on, got to the library, and... It wasn't much of a study date, really. They drank their coffee, and Revali taught him how to do the stats work. It wasn't actually hard, once he had a competent teacher, and they had it all done before seven o'clock, even. By then they were both hungry, and headed back to the cafeteria for dinner.

But, as freaky, and a little boring, as that was... Link was sure it just had to do with whatever happened between Revali and Ghirahim. He would have to ask what was up with that...

When Revali was back to his normal self.

***

(Revali)

Did Revali seriously have to see Ghirahim everywhere he went? It was terrifying. Every time he saw him, it was like-

He probably doesn't know, he reminded himself. He's Gan's boyfriend; he definitely doesn't know the truth, anyway.

But he does know something, Revali was sure about that, and Ghirahim certainly seemed dedicated to that lie he'd been told. The way he stared him down, the way he talked, licking his lips with his pierced tongue, tipping his head to the side...

Every time he moved, every time he breathed, Revali was afraid it would be like at the party, where Gan arrived minutes after. And he knew that was irrational, he knew that wasn't going to happen, but-

But...

But they went to the library directly after, and he just shut down. It was survival mode. Doing only what he had to in order to live, to get through the situation, then to retreat to the safety of his dorm room.   
Link decided to have dinner down in the cafeteria, since he saw some of his other friends in there, but Revali just took his food and went right back up to his room, saying he didn't feel well.

He didn't feel very hungry anyway, now that he thought about it. 

He picked at his food a little bit, though, eating as much as he possibly could before throwing it away. Food waste made him feel guilty, but...

His stomach roiled, rebelling against even that little bit of food. He still felt very sick, and none of this was helping at all.

All he really wanted, right now, was to talk to his family. He could just call them up; it would be about six o'clock their time, which would be early enough for Tulin to be awake, too. They could be eating dinner, though...

And that's when his phone rang.

Revali laughed at the timing of it, grabbing his phone and answering it. What were the odds?

"Hello?"

There was a long pause. Teba was probably fumbling with the phone, or they were getting it set up on speaker, or they gave it to Tulin to say the first hello, and now he's shy...

"I know what you've been telling people." An unfamiliar voice said, interrupting the silence. "I know what you said."

"Hello?" Revali repeated. "Teba, that's not funny."

The voice continued. "Don't you know people could get hurt?"

The line clicked.

Silence.

Dead silence.


	25. Twenty Five

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Link talks to Zelda about Revali, and how things are getting... Odd.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry, I dropped off the face of the earth, and I'm just trying to claw my way back up.

November 2

(Link)

Revali's 'little glances over the shoulder' we're getting worse and worse, and it was starting to freak Link the hell out. His roommate, his boyfriend, now, was constantly acting like there was someone watching him or following him. Who wouldn't be freaked out? Especially after the showing yesterday, at their study date...

But it was strange, because it was Revali. He wouldn't admit that anything as wrong, ever. It didn't matter what was going on, he'd be talking about the weather and how he's doing fine in his classes. Last night when Link got back from dinner he started legitimately shaking, and what was his explanation? 

It just happens sometimes. A little shrug. A change of topic.

At first it seemed mysterious, but now it was just scary. What was Revali hiding? Why did he look scared? What was going on behind his back?  
Even though it didn't seem like that, by any stretch of the imagination, Link wondered briefly if he was cheating on him. It wouldn't be crazy, considering, well...

Revali was gorgeous. Link was... not. He didn't need to elaborate on that point at all. But Revali always seemed a little strange, otherworldly. Maybe that was the odd draw he had to him at the beginning of the year, with his gorgeous eyes and his archery profile pic.

Well, Link could say with certainty that Revali had not gotten any less mysterious... It was just in different ways. Scarier ones. And it had gone from having that unique draw, from making him curious and interested, to making him, well...

A little freaked out. Which is why he was where he always went when it came for advice: dorm 324N.

Or, really wherever Zelda happened to be at the moment.

(Link): I'm at your dorm let me in

(Link): I kno your home

(Zelda): do I need to put pants on, or is it just you?

(Link): just me

The door opened, Zelda yawning on the other side. She was in her pajamas, which was a little strange, since it was Friday afternoon, but he didn't question it. Zelda ran on her own time; he knew that well enough by now.

"What is it?" She asked, letting him in. "And don't say nothing - I can tell."

"How?"

"How can I tell?" She raised an eyebrow. "You're tense, you keep looking back and forth, and you're scratching the back of your neck."

"That's... fair." Link sighed, walking over and flopping on her bed. "It's Revali."

"What about him?" Zelda sat over on Urbosa's bed. 

"He's just been acting... I don't know how to explain it." Link said, frowning. "Suspicious? Scared? And it's starting to freak me out?"

Crossing her legs, she leaned forward a little bit. "How so?"

"He keeps acting like he's being followed, or watched." Link started to explain, gaining speed as he signed. "He'll take different routes to classes, or back to the dorm, and never has a good reason why. Whenever we're outside, like walking to classes and stuff, he glances over his shoulder all the time, or stares out the window. Sometimes, when we're in the dorm room, he'll peek out from between the blinds instead of just opening the window."

"That's... Odd."

He nodded. "But the weirdest thing is, every time I ask, he just changes the topic."

"Bizarre."

"Like, yesterday," Link started to explain, brows knitting into a tight line. "We went for coffee, and to study, right? Then when we got to the shop, as soon as he met my friend, the barista, they both started acting crazy - after that, he was like... Stiff as a board for the rest of the night. Whenever I asked if he was okay, or if he needed to go back? Nope, he said he was fine."

"I wonder..." Zelda frowned, brows knitting together. "Do you think it could be on purpose?"

Link's eyes widened. "What?"

"He's always done slightly odd things for attention." She pointed out. "Acting all aloof, never explaining himself, dressing extravagantly... This might be just another part of that?"

Was it? Link couldn't imagine that it was, since he seemed so very much to not want to talk about it, and always seemed to want to disappear. No, there was something too genuine in the fear in his eyes. If he was that good of an actor props to him, but Link was sure something was going on...

Right?

Especially after coming off of being so sick...

"I don't think so."

"Alright." Zelda nodded. "Then just... Try to talk to him about it, maybe?"

"I do! And he changes the topic."

"Than bring it up. Be direct." She reached over to ruffle his bangs. "Where's the courage I know you so well for?"

Link sighed, shoulders slumping. "I don't know."

"Link, I know you literally just started dating, but if he doesn't make you happy..."

"But he does!" He insisted, sitting up straighter. "I'm not giving up literally days in, Zel. Revali makes me so happy, and I just want to see him happy, but..."

"But something else is going on." She finished. "And you'll never know what if you don't ask."

"And I'll never know if Revali doesn't tell me." Link groaned. "I mean, he doesn't have to..."

"True. But communication is key to any relationship."

"...it's his choice to keep it secret. I just don't want to see him upset."

"Exactly." Zelda smiled. "You two will figure it out; I know you will."

"Thanks, Zel."

"So you're sticking with it?"

He nodded. That's all he could do, really. Revali could tell him, or he could decide not to. Whatever. What he needed to do was stick by him as a good boyfriend.

"You're the best, Zelda."

"You know it." She grinned, ruffling his hair again. "Now, feeling better?"

"Yeah." Link nodded, then stretched his arms over his head. "Still tired, though."

"Aren't we all?"

"Yeah..." He yawned. "And I've got a stats quiz coming up..."

"Do you need help with it?"

"Nah, I-" Link shook his head. "Revali has the same stats teacher, we study together."

Zelda laughed, shaking her head. "Then go for it, okay?"

"Okay." He smiled. "Thank you again?"

"Anytime, you should know that."

"I know... Things just seem different here, somehow." 

"I get what you mean." Zelda nodded. "But hey, things changing or not, I'm always here for you, alright?"

"I know..."

She raised an eyebrow. "Alright?"

"Alright." Link smiled. "You're such a mom friend."

"No, you're just like a little brother."

"Big sister friend, then?"

Zelda shrugged. "I'll take that. Want to watch something, now that you're here? If take anything over this project right now."

"Sounds great."

***

(Revali)

"Is it that obvious that something is wrong?" Revali asked, lounging on one of Daruk's living room couches with his arm over his face. "I think I'm doing just fine."

"You are acting a little, uh..."

He sat up. "A little what?"

"Erratic?" Daruk answered hesitantly. "I mean, you have been a little weird..."

"How so? Would someone notice if they didn't-"

One of his roommates wandered across the room on his way out the door.

"You didn't tell me other people were home!" Revali hissed, glancing over his shoulder.

Were they listening? He didn't know any of Daruk's roommates (housemates?), so how could he know if they could be trusted? What if one of them was-

No. If he was one of them, he would know by now. 

But after that phone call last night...

"...I never said we were alone." Daruk pointed out, eyebrows raised.

And now he thinks I'm crazy, Revali thought to himself. Great. Just great.

"Sorry, I just..." He swallowed. "Fine, whatever. But I haven't been acting that weird, right?"

"I was going to say no, but after that? I'm gonna say... Yeah, a little bit."

Revali slumped back down onto the couch. "Okay. That's fair... You're serious that I'm not bothering you?"

Daruk shook his head. "I would just be working on this paper alone, otherwise. Sorry that's kinda boring."

"Don't be, I just... Didn't want to be alone in my dorm right now."

That was an understatement. He wasn't sure he ever wanted to be alone, ever, anymore. Especially after being sick...

And then, during his bio lab, no one from his assigned group showed up. Which, of course, meant he would have to join one of the other groups.

No one wanted him there.

Some of the groups were kinder about it, pointing out that another group had better students at it, or that he would be able to hear the lab instructor with a different group, but some... Some just pretended he didn't exist. Some looked at him like he was crazy. And one girl...

"Look, I don't want your kind of person around." She said point blank, lips pulled into a sour frown. "I heard what you've been running around accusing people of."

"I haven't-"

"Shh. Don't you realize that lying about shit like that just means people who are actually assaulted aren't taken seriously? No. Find. Another. Group."

So he joined one of the groups that was more... Gentle about turning him away. It was awkward, but manageable. He could do biology; he was good at this type of stuff.

But then he started to think about it, about what they said. About the seven groups of around five students each in this class, minus his own that wasn't present. That was thirty five people who knew about the rumors flying around. One of which who was confident enough and angry enough to say something.

He wasn't accusing anyone of anything! All he wanted to do was forget. Hell, all he wanted to do was drink, or find something else that would make him forget about all of this entirely... Except he couldn't be that out of control. He couldn't.

How many of these students knew where his dorms were? He walked back and forth every day, so no doubt they saw him walking... But recently he had been switching up his route, just in case. Maybe that had...  
No. If someone was following him, they would know exactly what dorm he stayed in.

How many knew his phone number?

So when Revali got back to his dorm, he immediately texted Daruk, asking if he could come over... And that was how he ended up here.

But yeah, he didn't want to be alone. That was the prettier version of the truth, for certain.

Revali sighed, back to the reality of being in Daruk's, kind of gross, house. He glanced over to see him giving him an odd look.

"What? Is my makeup smudged?"

Daruk shook his head. "I was just thinking... Maybe you want to talk to someone about... This? I know you didn't talk to the councilor."

He blinked. "Why would I need to do that?"

"I mean, I don't really know, but you haven't seemed like you're doing very well, recently."

"I'm fine." Revali lied, yawning. "Just tired."

"Have you been sleeping better... Or actually, at all?"

"...not really."

Daruk sighed. "Look, Vali-"

"I don't-"

"The school counsellor isn't permitted to tell anyone what happened, by law, I think. If you talk to one of-"

He couldn't. There was no way; he couldn't. Daruk knowing was bad enough, dangerous enough. Someone could die if he didn't keep this in and keep quiet. If he could just keep quiet... 

"Daruk." Revali shook his head. "No."

"Then maybe tell Urbosa-"

"I'm not telling anyone else!" He snapped, rising up to his feet. "I just..."

"What is it? I know you don't want to talk about, I mean... I sure as hell wouldn't if it was me-"

"Then why are you telling me to?" Revali asked, shaking his head. "I'll deal with this on my own, thank you very much."

Daruk sighed. "Okay... I still think you should talk to someone, but... okay."

The house creaked a little bit, but other than that, the silence could have been cut with a knife.

"Okay." He nodded, sitting back down. "Need any help on that paper?"

"If you think you can understand geology, sure. I've just about had it with this shit..."

Revali moved over to his couch, sitting close enough to be able to read off his laptop. It felt like he was always changing the topic these days; it was awful, but... It had to be done. 

Why did everyone seem to think his personal life was their business?

He knew why. The rumors flying around, everything going on... All thirty five people in that class might not have known, but the rest of them stayed silent if they didn't. Or they just knew he was trouble and shooed him away. If there was one thing he could always count on, it was the fact that he was on his own.

But right now, he couldn't think about that. He had an essay about the advantages and disadvantages of the color streaking method of mineral identification to help his friend write.

"So, first, that's too wordy," Revali pointed out. "And instead, there, you might want to use..."


	26. Twenty Six

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Downhill. Things are just going... Downhill.

November 15

(Link)

This was starting to get frustrating. Link and Revali had continued with their little weekly coffee dates, sometimes just sharing a non-coffee drink because that was all they could agree on, but recently? It was starting to get concerning. Link felt like he was signing to a brick wall sometimes, staring at him only for his eyes to remain trained at the door, just out of focus. When he talked, it was like he was saying the same thing over and over, repeating facts and stories that were all the same.

And, as the trend had become, that's what happened this time. Revali was absent, staring out into nothing, only being shocked back into reality on occasion and always looking some kind of sad when he was. 

It wasn't right.

Link didn't want to give up on them working it out, though. No, as they walked back to their dorm, he was more determined than ever to make this happen. Sure, he was silent as Link struggled, as usual, to unlock the door, but... Maybe he just had a lot on his mind.

What was going on in that head? What could be going on? What was he possibly thinking about that was taking so much time? 

The door gave in, lurching open as Link pushed into it. They both walked in, still not saying a word.

Finally, he gave up and just decided to ask. "Are you okay?"

"What's going on, Link?" Revali changed the subject in his same smooth voice, shutting the door behind him. "Why have you been acting so weird?"

Me? Acting so weird? Everything seemed to spin. Sometimes it was like Revali didn't know a thing about what he did, only how others reacted to it.

"I'm just... I guess I'm scared for you." Link admitted, jaw clenched and lips drawn into a thin line.

He laughed, but it was more cutting than anything else could have been. "Why are you so afraid for me?"

It wasn't smart, but the blood was rushing in Link's ears now. Revali's dismissive waving, the laughter - it was all too much. He was fed up with not being listened to. Years of that back home was enough.

"It's just- it's how you've been hiding recently!" His hands shook, the signs barely comprehensible.

He was afraid that he wouldn't understand him, but the way Revali's eyes hardened made it obvious he did.

"What do you think I'm hiding? What's wrong?" He flinched backward, backing up into the wall by the window, brows knit tight together. "Nothing. I don't know why you think I'm lying."

Link growled in frustration, and Revali flinched again. "Why won't you just tell me?"

"Tell you what?!" 

The air in the dorm went deadly still. Link could hear every one of their little ragged breaths.

"You haven't been eating." Link reminded.

"I've had problems with my self-image for a long time." Revali shot back. "I'm working on it. I am so unbelievably sorry for not wanting to talk about it. Besides, you know I've had this cold on and off since Halloween, basically."

"Sarcasm. Great." He frowned, gritting his teeth together. "You also don't really sleep."

Revali shrugged. "I have bad anxiety; that makes it hard for me to sleep most nights."

"Your hands shake all the time."

"Again - anxiety is to thank for that one. Thanks for bringing it up."

"You haven't been... You seem like you've been hiding recently."

Revali frowned. "What do you mean hiding? You keep saying that. You said it in the coffee shop too, on our first date."

"Well, it's true. You've been..." Link swallowed. "So quiet recently, and always hiding behind big sweaters and scarves and sunglasses-"

He laughed, a cackling, dark kind of sound, uglier than Link could have known could come from that gorgeous mouth. "What, so something's wrong because I got more tired with my appearance as the semester went on? I'm just dressing cozy, like you already do. That's hardly fair."

Letting his shoulders fall, Link could feel the tears welling up in his eyes. He hated it, the fact that he was about to cry about this, he hated how upset he was getting; but there wasn't any helping it. His heart pounded in his chest and in his head.

It was something in how he pointed it out, "like you already do." Revali kept throwing up these walls, trying to silence him and... It was definitely working. Link felt embarrassed that he had pointed it it now because he was comparing the two of them; that was hardly fair.

"I'm just worried about you." He finally managed, his throat tight and hands shaking.

Revali sounded like he was going to say something else, the little breath he took in, but the words never came. Instead, he closed the distance between them and wrapped Link in the most awkward hug he'd ever received. Revali really hadn't been eating; his body was bony and cold. He felt-

No. Don't think like that. Don't ever think like that.

But the hug was strange, both in timing and in feeling. It was like he himself didn't now what to do.

"Shh, don't cry." Revali pet the back of his head in a way that really did manage to be reassuring, despite the embrace. "I really am fine, trust me. Everything is-" He made a noise in the back of his throat like he was trying to hold back a sob. "Fine. It's all just-"

Link took initiative in the hug, trying to hold Revali close. It was hard because he was so much taller, but he figured it out. He was crying freely at this point, sobbing that everything was fine. Link just shushed him quietly, hugging him as tightly as possible and letting him cry. 

What was going on?

Eventually, Revali pulled away. His makeup was a huge mess all around his eyes, and Link was reminded once more of that one time he came home at like, four in the morning back in first semester when he got dumped by Gan. Shaking that thought out of his head, Link turned his attention back to current Revali. 

"Here, sit down." Link signed, patting his bed. 

Revali who looked like he wanted to resist slowly died away, replaced by Revali who was too tired to do anything but comply. With a dull nod he followed, sitting down on the bed.

"I think... I think we're better as friends." Revali choked out, wiping at his eyes. "I'm breaking up with you. I'm going through too much for this to be fair to you - we've barely been together and none of it's been any good."

He straightened his back, squaring his shoulders. It was a little scary how composed his body looked compared to the wreck that was his face.

"Revali, you don't have to go through this alone," Link sat down on Revali's bed, directly across from him. "You can tell me - what's wrong?"

"He- I was- I can't-" It wasn't that he was stuttering, but that Revali couldn't seem to get the right beginning for the sentence. "I can't- you don't... No, I never loved you."

Link frowned. The way he said it... Something didn't sound right.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean whatever it takes for this to be over." He stated, swallowing his tears. "I'm done. We're done, Link. Just... Accept it. It's okay, we never would have worked out anyway."

"Why not? Revali, you're not making any sense."

But Revali didn't really seem to be listening; his eyes were glassy and full of tears, his jaw set. "It's not you, it's me, and everything else. Just leave me alone and stop trying to get yourself involved in things that are going to get you hurt."

His eyes widened. "Things that are going to get me hurt? What do you mean? Re-"

"Leave me alone, Link!" 

"But-"

"I said leave me alone." Revali swallowed again, regaining his composure. "Say I'm villain to your friends. Make me out to be the bad guy. Call me a stalker and a freak for not wanting to be with you. I am such an asshole. Just... Leave me alone. Okay, Link? You got that?"

Link tried not to focus on his angry sneer, or on the way he spat his name like it was a curse. He only nodded in response. Revali stormed his way to the bathroom, no doubt to fix his face back up like normal.

To pretend like nothing happened.

Link sunk down in his seat, then flopped himself backwards. Only then did he remember that he had been sitting on Revali's bed, and was met by the subtle jasmine scent of his things. The stuffed bird, the one that seemed to always stare, sat right next to his face.  
Link noted with some curiosity that one of the wings tips looked... Wrong. Unable to resist, he reached up and grabbed it from where it sat.

The stuffed animal was clearly old, yet the fabric was the kind that only got soft as it was worn down with age. It's little beaded eyes did seem to stare, but the overstuffed body made it cute rather than creepy. The odd thing was the left wing - it seemed like something had happened to the tip; with some odd stitches having been used to mend the edge. The fabric there too was less soft, almost rough.

Wounded.

Suddenly aware of the fact that Revali could come back in at any time, Link set down the stuffed animal. Still, he didn't feel the need to get off of Revali's bed. They were dating, after all... Or had been before today. They would have to talk that out, at least. But the stuffed bird seemed more personal, more invasive to be looking at. He said he just brought it from home, but it felt like more than that.

"Leave me alone." Revali's words echoed in his mind, repeating over and over.

Maybe he should get off the bed.

Link would be lying if he said he thought they should be broken up too, though. Part of him, no, all of him was still drawn to Revali in more than just a curiosity. 

He wanted him to be happy, and he wanted to be the one to make him happy. It didn't make any sense to try to put it into words, he just... He just really liked Revali. Even if it felt childish to say it like that.  
If they had to break up for his good, than he'd do it in a heartbeat; but if he could help Revali through this...

What is this?

Link shook his head, pushing himself back up to sit. He would be a good friend to Revali. Yeah. Everything would end up fine.

But he still couldn't stop thinking about the way Revali said it.

"Just leave me alone and stop trying to get yourself involved in things that are going to get you hurt."

What kind of things would get him hurt about him? What was going on with him? Was this about the Gan thing? The Ghirahim thing?

Were they connected?

Link had never thought about that before. Gan was a football player, and Ghira was, well... A theater nerd and a photography major. But if they knew each other...

Maybe this was more complicated than he thought.

***

(Revali)

Feeling numb on the inside, Revali made his way through his nightly routine. It didn't matter that it was only two forty five on a Thursday; right now he was going to sit on his bed and pretend like he didn't exist. 

He just broke up with Link.

The words didn't feel right as he wiped off his makeup, thinking about the things Link had said.

The fact he wasn't eating right wasn't intentional, not even close. Food just tasted like cardboard recently, his throat feeling too tight to even consider eating. Hell, he didn't even feel hungry anymore. That hadn't happened in earnest since the boys home.

And when it did there... Revali glared at his reflection. Yeah, his collarbones may be pretty sharp, and his neck did look a little skinnier, but his sweater didn't seem to hang off his body like a wire hanger. There was still fat in his cheeks. This wasn't too bad, all things considered.

Yeah, so... He definitely wasn't sleeping right. The few times he and Link fell asleep together were the only times he really sleep well, but now?   
Now there would be no more of that. He couldn't admit that was something he wanted to do, because they were just friends now. Friends. Just friends. Barely even that, after what he said.

But hiding? What did he mean by that?

Admittedly, Revali hadn't been as... Present as he'd have liked to be. Especially in their meetings about the group project. As time went on they got to the point where they could work on more, but it was mostly just reading through each other's drafts. At the very least, he was still good at that. His mental health could go down the drain, and he could be incapable of listening to them, but his grammar was still solid.

And he really had been dressing more... Relaxed. Plain oversize sweaters and leggings, sunglasses when he didn't even want to put on makeup, messy buns that fell to the nape of his neck...

There was no guilt about that. Just like no one could make Revali perform the masculinity he had grown up with, no one could make him perform femininity, either.

Even himself, apparently.

But obviously he needed to make a better effort. Hell, he almost told him what happened. Part of him wanted to. And he knew what would happen if he told...

Well, he already had. What would be the harm of telling Link now?

No. He couldn't. He couldn't tell Link and then have to live with him for the last month of the semester. Besides, he could get hurt. They had already broken up, that was bad enough, hopefully, to protect Link from any backlash. No, right now he just needed to act normal.

Normal. Like being fully ready for bed at three o'clock in the afternoon on a Thursday. Because that was just such an ordinary thing.

Snatching up his library copy of The Great Gatsby, Revali slid under his blanket. The familiar fleece felt nice on his legs; he tried to focus on that. Not how Link wasn't at his side, and wouldn't be for a long- 

No, ever again.

Revali sighed, shoving Bird under his arm like a poor substitute, and opening the book up to his notes. He knew them inside out already, but it couldn't hurt to read them over again.

And again.

Pretending he didn't notice when Link left the room in tears.

***

(Zelda)

Thursday afternoon, right now for Zelda, meant working on a paper that was due in her History class. Which, in reality, meant procrastinating doing anything to it with the tab open. She swore that she wouldn't end up doing this in college, but old habits died hard. All of her old friends hated her for that; being able to write a paper the night before and getting an A on it? Just wasn't fair.

But right now, she couldn't even stand to look at it. Lying on the floor with For Whom the Bell Tolls propped under her head was preferable, even. And that was saying something.

Even though she was sure her father was trying to punish her by making her read Hemingway, it hadn't been so bad... Then again, she and Mipha had worked on reading some parts together. Even the brutally descriptive, heavy style managed to flow beautifully off her tongue. Zelda would listen to a thousand audiobooks recorded in her sweet little voice.

But that's when the knock on the door interrupted her: in the middle of procrastinating one project, napping on top of another, daydreaming about a pretty girl.

Link's tear-streaked face was visible through the peep hole.

"Link? What's-"

Immediately, he wrapped his arms around her, burying his face in the shoulder of her denim jacket. He didn't seem to mind the pins and patches underneath his face, he just cried and cried, squeezing her as tightly as he could, as if he'd never let go.


	27. Twenty Seven

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zelda comforts Link, and finds out what exactly is going on.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aren't you glad I got behind, so you can read this all now instead of waiting?

November 15

(Link)

"Alright, Link, what's going on?" 

Zelda asked softly after some time of just holding him, rubbing his back, and shushing his tears. 

"What is it?"

Link pulled away from the embrace, looked at her, took a deep breath, then burst once more into tears. 

"Shh, I've got you, I've got you..."

She swayed ever so slightly back and forth, just letting him sob into her shoulder. Some of the things Revali said... All the thoughts in Link's head were spinning, all chasing around each other, all tumbled up in a big mess. 

But he could hear Revali's voice over it all. Of course he could; every word was said with such care, with such poise, all the time. Like a fucking Jane Austen character without the accent. Everything was a character with him, wasn't it? 

"It's not you, it's me, and everything else."

"I am such an asshole."

"We never would have worked out anyway."

"Make me out to be the bad guy."

"Just... Leave me alone."

"...And stop trying to get yourself involved in things that are going to get you hurt."

"I never loved you."

His heart ached, even though it took a moment to set in... Deep breaths. He would survive this. He had made it through worse.

"Okay?" Zelda asked, pulling away a little when she seemed to sense him calming down.

Taking a deep breath, Link nodded, then walked over to her bed and sat down.

"Revali broke up with me." He signed perfectly, hands not shaking, every motion just matter of fact. "He said all sorts of things about it, and that he's just going through a lot, but..."

His hands stuttered, and Zelda sat down beside him, wrapping an arm around his shoulders. "Do you really know what it was about?"

"I don't know." Link swallowed, then started crying harder. "I don't know at all, and- and-"

"Shh, it's okay." She rubbed his shoulder and back. "It'll be alright."

He swallowed again, wiping his nose. "We argued a little bit, not very much, and he decided to break up, but that's not-" Deep breath. "That's not what's bothering me."

"What is it?"

Link frowned, brows sinking low over his eyes, letting out his breath and sucking another one in. "He said that I needed to not get involved in things that'll end up getting me hurt, and I'm afraid that he's - that he's gotten into trouble, somehow. With how he's been acting lately, you know..."

Zelda frowned. "What do you mean? Do you think it has to do with the whole Gan rumors?"

He was calming down now, taking deep breaths, letting his shoulders relax. "I don't know. He wouldn't tell me anything, he just said that he was telling me whatever it would take for our relationship to be over, that he never loved me-"

"Link, that's..."

A couple beats of silence went by. Their clock ticked.

"...I know you don't want to hear this, but that's an awful thing to say. A real dick move."

"No, I know it was, you're right, and I would be mad any other time, but... But that's the thing: I don't think that he was telling the truth." Link confessed, eyes on the floor. "I think he was trying to protect me... Or something like that. I would get hurt, or he would get hurt... Something to do with the dangerous situation he mentioned."

"Which could have to do with Gan."

"I have no idea!" He signed with tense hands, face strained in confusion and anger and fear. "I don't know what's going on, only that it's keeping him from - it's getting him... I don't know."

Zelda's brows knit together, hand coming up to tug at one of the long strands of her hair. "People have been saying that he's been stalking him for a while now... Let's lay out the timeline... If you're feeling up to it."

Link took a deep breath, wiping his eyes, and trying to calm down. "No, I'm good." 

"Alright, where did this whole thing start, that we know of?"

"There were the text messages, right at the beginning of the school year, remember?"

"Right." She grabbed a random notebook and scribbled that down. "I had forgotten about those. Who had sent them, do you remember?"

"I don't know, I never really payed attention." Link realized, frowning. "Come to think of it... I almost assumed the messages were two ways, but they could have been one way, even, if he was stalking him or being creepy."

Zelda shook her head. "Unless you were really snooping on his phone, unlikely."

"Oh. Yeah, you're right - I wasn't. So they were from Gan."

"And they had like, pet names in them." 

"Yeah," He agreed. "Like, 'babe' and stuff like that, so... Unless they're really close, that's... Pretty obvious."

"Alright." Zelda wrote more down. "Then, after that?"

"They broke up." Link stated. "At least, I think that's what happened? Revali came home late, like really late, sad. And he was a complete wreck after that for a while. After that is when all the rumors started too, like, that Monday."

"Weird."

"From there they just escalated, and he just kept acting more and more freaked out." He shrugged. "And... I don't think it's because he's guilty, but..."

Zelda raised her eyebrows, clicking her pen. "You think he was actually stalking Ganondorf?"

"No! Fuck, no." Link shook his head. "I just..." He sighed. "I think that something happened, and now he's in trouble over his head."

"Wait. What about that friend?"

"Who?"

"The friend you mentioned, the barista that made him go ballistic." She explained. "Who was he again?"

Link snickered. "Wordplay? I was serious, Zel. Ghirahim. The friend was Ghirahim."

"Hey, humor has its merits. It made you laugh."

"Congratulations."

"Okay, well, does he have anything to do with Gan?" Zelda clicked her pen again. "Do they know each other?"

"Well, Gan was invited to a party he threw." He remembered; he hadn't been dressed up. "So they probably know each other, bare minimum, or at least they have friends in common. They might have made out, not sure."

"Check his Instagram; Gan's famous enough that he might be on there if he known him."

Link cringed. "I... Haven't dared to check out his Instagram yet."

She blinked. "What do you mean?"

"Ghirahim is... Okay, let's just check is out together." He swallowed, pulling up the page.

And... 

"Whoa."

He wasn't sure what he expected. 

Weird photos with too much contrast wouldn't be out of character. A complete color scheme of only black, white, and pops of color would have fit perfectly with who he was. Only selfies would have been... Eerie, but honestly, with how vain Ghirahim was, it wouldn't have been a surprise.

But an entire wall of photos all taken of and with Ganondorf Dragmire himself? 

"Well, I guess that answers that question." Zelda stated, swiping through a few photos. "It appears they're a couple."

Link frowned, handing the phone to Zelda. "So it would make sense for Ghirahim to dislike him if he had some issue with Gan..."

"...or if he was hitting on his boyfriend."

"But is someone hitting on your boyfriend reason enough to go crazy and start a bunch of rumors about him?" She asked. "Some people might, but you would think that other people would catch on to the fact that it was just petty."

He nodded, glancing over at the photos. "Looks like I'm just going to have to ask."

***

(Revali)

Then, impossibly, the world kept spinning. Revali woke up from his nap feeling oddly refreshed, confused as to the time he saw on his phone.

Then he remembered the conversation. The fight, if you could even call it that. The fact they broke up.

No, the fact that he broke up with Link, to protect him from the inevitable. Trying to minimize damages. He didn't want him to get hurt more than he needed to by it or, worse, be targeted himself.

So Revali broke up with him.

And he didn't feel a damn thing.

It was strange. Revali knew that he should be devastated; he certainly was when he went to bed that afternoon. But now? It was like that was just another fact of life. Something that happened to someone else, someone he didn't have time to feel for. 

Because, right now, he definitely had assignments due. There was the worksheet in stats, the reading response to the thing in English...  
But he didn't need to think about Link another moment. He couldn't afford to. It just wasn't... He couldn't...

Taking a deep breath, Revali peeled himself up out of his bed, and threw some clothes on his body. At the beginning of the semester he was so optimistic about how he would dress: all short skirts and nice tops that made him look pretty, that slimmed his shoulders. But recently... 

With how rumors were flying, people had started to recognize him, and with that kind of risk out there it wasn't worth it to dress showy anymore. To dress pretty. He would rather just fade into the background of tired college students hiding behind oversize tops, yoga pants, and giant sunglasses. Sure, it didn't look great, but it was livable.

Maybe that's what Link meant when he said he was hiding. When he thought about the question again, invisibility or flight again...

No, he still wanted flight.

And he wasn't going to think about Link.

But either way, simple black leggings and an oversize striped sweater were exactly the kind of comforting clothes that he wanted to wear. It didn't matter what other people were saying, other people's criticism wasn't what affected his... Who was he kidding, it was all for other people. How he dressed was so influenced be others perception of him at this point of him that he didn't know what he would look like without it.

That had just changed shape, over the years.

Revali sighed, shaking his head. He didn't have time to think about that, either. Shifting his brain into stats mode, he got started on the assignment. It was simple, but hard enough to keep his mind off the beautiful blonde he had just dumped.

"It's for his safety." Revali repeated, chewing on the back of his pen. "For his safety."

"Besides-" He started, just talking to himself as he worked through the math problems. "He's friends with Ghirahim now. Well, has been for a while, but... That's his boyfriend. Fuck, how am I always such an idiot with these kinds of things? Gan's cousin, a friend of his boyfriend..."

Shaking his head, Revali kept going on the work. It was... A temporary distraction.

They would see how long this would last, at least. 

Just counting down until the end.

Revali had been afraid of dying a few times before; in the boys home, especially. He thought he would die in that place, surrounded by all of those boys who hated him so much. 

(In hindsight, some of them didn't. They just knew that, by hating him, they wouldn't be looked down on themselves. That didn't make him hate them any less. Their complacency meant his pain.)

When they would hold him down, when they would hurt him... He used to be afraid to sleep because he couldn't defend himself if he was sleeping. That ignored the fact he couldn't defend himself anyway, since there were so many of them, but...

So many of them.

Gan had a whole football team, didn't he?

A whole school that would back him up?

A whole slew of people who, at the very least, wouldn't even move to help?

(Complacency.) 

Revali swallowed. Stats. Right now was the time for stats. There was no use worrying about something he couldn't control.

How many of those people had his phone number?

How many could know his dorm room?

Stats. Numbers. Don't think about that.

Phone numbers.

Stats.

Still, Revali got up, checking to make sure the door was locked.

Safe.

For now.

Safe, he corrected, and got back to work.

If only he could talk to Teba right now, but-

Fuck. That would only hurt them worse too, wouldn't it?

Revali swallowed, fighting the tears that threatened his eyes. "It's for the best; it would just hurt them more in the long run."

***

(Link)

"But, Zelda..." 

They had been in her room for hours now, just lounging on her bed, Zelda gently playing with Link's hair. It was a soothing thing she used to do a lot, when his grandpa was in the hospital, or when he was just stressed out. 

"What is it, Link?"

"What if... What if he's just telling the truth? Revali, I mean?" He asked, letting out a deep sigh. "What if he really never cared about me?"

Zelda shook her head. "I don't think that's true."

"But what if it is?" Link frowned, relaxing into the bed. "What if he just wants me to leave him alone, and... What if he was really just kind of threatening me, and we're reading into it too far?"

"That... Is possible. Not probable, but possible."

"And... Well, what if he was stalking Ganondorf?"

"Link, that's ridiculous. You've said it yourself: he goes to bed before you do. When would he be stalking him? Revali borders on being a shut in, sometimes." She reminded, still playing with his hair. "Revali's a weirdo. He doesn't really understand how friendly communication works, and I'm not sure he knows how to admit faults, but... I don't think I would ever accuse him of obsessing over anyone but himself."

"Yeah. Yeah... You're right."

"Of course I am. Revali's an idiot; not a criminal. Now... Ice cream?"

Link nodded. "Only if you drive. I'm exhausted."

"No kidding; let's go. Full breakup treatment."


	28. Twenty Eight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After another phone call, more rumors circulating around campus, and everything else going to shit, Reali decides to take matters into his own hands.
> 
> He's going to go talk to Daruk.

November 16

(Revali)

When someone called Revali after class on Friday after his Bio lab, he felt somewhere between ready to cry, and about to start a fight. 

Besides nearly falling asleep in Creative Writing, he had barely got anything done in that class. It was a shame; he genuinely enjoyed it, and what came after, well...  
Biology was never easy, with the group format and all, but it never ceased to surprise with new forms of awful. The smell of formaldehyde still wouldn't come off of his hands, even though he had been wearing gloves. That was probably just a mental thing, but...

He didn't like seeing dead things. It was too strange. That could be his body lying there to be dissected by bored students, his body cut open, his veins pulled and prodded. Just another thing on a sterilized table.

Don't think about that.

So when he got back to his dorm after class, he was understandably done with life. So of course, as soon as he slung off his backpack and sat down on the bed, his phone had to ring.

He almost didn't answer at all. Who could it even be who would need to get ahold of him? No one from the group project called him, after all. His family... Wouldn't miss him so badly if he just disappeared. And other than that-

Wait. It could be something to do with the school.

But how many people could have this number?

Taking a deep breath, and resolving to change his number at the earliest convenience, he answered.

"Hello?"

"Hey... Revali, it's Paya." She swallowed, and he could practically see the way her eyes flickered nervously around the room.

Relief flooded through his body. Paya. Just Paya. But she sounded... Concerned?

"What is it?" He asked, trying to imagine what the worst would be so that he was pleasantly surprised. 

Someone had died, maybe? No, she would be crying, then. Maybe she was just asking about their class? 

"Well, it's, well..." She was probably biting at her lip. "It's bad."

"How bad?"

"Well, I don't believe it for a moment, since I - well, I mean I kinda know you, well... I mean, I don't know you well, but - I know you and I know you wouldn't do it, and..." Paya kept stammering, skirting around the issue. "People have been saying..."

"What have people been saying?" Revali snapped. "Come on, just tell me."

"I will!"

"Then please, by all means do." He bit at his lip, fingers rubbing the edge of his sweater, pulling at the yarn.

What could it possibly-?

She sucked in a deep breath. "Revali, people are saying that you're falsely accusing Ganondorf of sexual assault now." She warned him. "Just... Please be careful? I don't know if it's true or not, but things could... I'm scared for you. They're saying some awful stuff along with it, that it's just for attention, and..."

Revali sucked in a deep breath. "Thank you for telling me, Paya. I'll... I'll be careful, alright?"

"Alright." Paya sighed; it sounded like she was chewing at her lip. "Things could get ugly."

"I... understand. Thank you, goodbye."

"Stay safe."

Revali hung up, and immediately anger rushed through him, blood rushing through his ears, eyes seeing nothing but red.

How had he been so blind before? Because in that moment...

He knew. He knew that he told Daruk, and Daruk had told someone. 

How could he? Revali wasn't one to cry, but he could feel his eyes tearing up. He promised. Revali had made him promise and he didn't listen, he told someone, and, and...

And now that the truth is out there as a widespread rumor, no one would take him seriously if he ever decided to come forward about it... Not that they would have before, but this was different. This wasn't just that one girl in his biology class accusing him of it.

She-

The girl in the biology class accused him of it too.

That had completely - Daruk had probably told before that. He told Daruk who probably told Urbosa who probably asked Gan to make sure it wasn't true and...

And of course he would lie about it, then start already that rumor in waves. There was no one who would listen to his side of the story; they had already heard all they needed to know and made their judgements.

Link's probably heard about this.

That thought hit Revali like a punch to the gut. Even though they were broken up now, that didn't mean he didn't... None of those feelings had gone away; it was just that Link deserved better. He deserved better than to be with the kid who got murdered freshman year.

He deserved better than that...

Despite that, he didn't know how he had gone this long without trying to get back together with him again. It would never happen; in reality: Link didn't deserve this. He didn't deserve all of this mess and this trouble with everything going on. 

Not just Link, too. Urbosa and Mipha and Zelda... Maybe Daruk had stopped believing that it was true, too. 

He was alone.

But it was all he thought about. Making it right. Well, skipping over all the nitty gritty of "Making it right" and skipping to the good parts where he's confessing that everything he told Link was a lie.

But that just wouldn't be fair; to anyone involved.

But still, it was...

Wait.

Maybe Daruk was the one who started the rumor in the first place.

Revali stood up from his bed, wiping the tears out of his eyes. Sucking in a deep breath, he tried to summon some courage. Maybe that's all Daruk thought of him. That he was a liar. That he was an attention whore. Maybe he just carelessly told someone. Maybe he didn't give a shit. 

Either way, the secret was out.

And right now, it was time to go talk to him.

After all, what did he have to lose? Link was gone, his family, most likely his friends, everyone at the school...

And probably his life, sometime soon.

***

(Link)

(Zelda): How's it going?

(Link): it just seems like he's gotten over me so fast

***

(Revali)

Revali held his breath in front of Daruk's door. He lived in one of the houses on campus (like the ones the parties he'd been to were thrown at), with a whole bunch of other guys and... This was not a good situation to be in, right now.

He gripped his pepper spray a little tighter in his hand, rules or no, he wasn't going anywhere without it, anymore.

The house was a little further away from everything else, a little secluded. If he asked him to step outside that might work, but... What if his housemates heard him yelling? What if they came outside?

It was pretty secluded, here, after all. He-

Before Revali could finish that thought, he knocked.

Dead silence within the house. What if he wasn't even home? What if no one was home? Walking out here in the cold could have been a complete waste of time. What if-

A loud crash came from inside, startling him so that he nearly slipped on the ice.

Well, apparently someone was home. Either that or they secretly had a dog that they weren't technically allowed to house on campus. That did seem like Daruk's style.

Then the door opened. 

The boy standing there couldn't have been older than fifteen. He was chubby, with a ruddy blush on his round cheeks. His skin was lighter than Daruk's, his nose was a slightly different shape, and he didn't have a beard, but there was a clear familial resemblance. His hair (Really just a wavy bit of curls on the top; the rest was close-shaved.) was even bleached the same shade of white blonde.

"Uhh... Hi, can I help you?" He said in a high pitched voice, breaking on 'can.'

Definitely no older than fifteen.

"Yes, I'm looking for Daruk. Is he around?"

The boy blinked twice. "I think so, here, come inside."

"No, I'll be fine waiting out here." Revali said quickly, eyeing inside like it held unimaginable evils instead of just a dingy couch and old furniture.

He shook his head. "You look cold."

That was impossible to argue with. Even with his chunky sweater, scarf, hat, and wool leggings under his skirt, he was getting very chilly. This wind was biting.

Finally, he caved. "Alright, just for a moment."

The boy smiled, then opened the door wider to let him in. Letting the youngest, cutest one open the door to convince him that it was safe? Sounded like a familiar tactic. He remembered hearing stories like that, back home. Regardless of his fears, though, Revali stepped inside, shutting the door behind him.

"I'm Yunobo, by the way. I'm Daruk's cousin." He stuck out his hand to shake.

Revali took it with a forced smile he was sure wasn't convincing. His hand was soft and fairly clammy.

"I'll go get Daruk."

"You do that."

He wandered away and up the stairs, leaving Revali alone by the door. He couldn't see anyone else here so far, but that didn't mean anything. Absently, he checked the door. Still unlocked.

"Daruk!" Revali could overhear Yunobo, even though he wasn't talking very loud. "You have a really scary friend here."

He rolled his eyes. Scary friend wasn't the worst thing he could say, anyway, and it really did appear that he was getting Daruk... Or just pretending to. There was also that possibility.

But within five minutes Daruk was downstairs, in a pair of plaid pajama pants and a big marching band hoodie from his high school. From the looks of it, he might have been sleeping, his great mane of hair flattened on his right side and even wilder on the left.

Still, seeing him made Revali's blood boil.

"Hey, can I talk to you for a minute?"

"Sure." He shrugged, jamming his hands in his pocket. "What is it?"

Revali swallowed, glancing over at the door. "Privately."

"The only one home is my baby cousin."

"Hey!"

Daruk waved him off. "Go back to your game. What was it?"

"Actually privately." He clarified. "This house has good enough acoustics that I could hear every word you and Yunobo said upstairs."

Yunobo, almost out of sight, turned bright red, then ducked into a doorway.

"Alright then." Daruk slid on a pair of crocs. "Outside then, I guess."

The moment the door was shut behind them, the dam broke.

"You told someone." Revali breathed near silently, like all the air had been stolen from his lungs. "You told someone!?"

"What? Revali, I-"

"I trusted you!" He yelled, not caring how loud, how many people were around. "You were the only person I told, you know that!? I trusted you because I didn't think you'd-" His voice broke. "I didn't think you'd tell a single soul. And now-"

"Revali, I didn't-"

"Then how do people know!? Why is the new rumor going on that I'm-" Revali shuddered, unable to even say the words. "Well, you know what. Why, if you didn't tell anyone?"

"He's just starting rumors, Revali." Daruk said calmly, eyes wide, standing completely still. "Trying to cover his tracks."

No threatening movements. The way that he talked to him like he would try to sooth an upset dog, or a little child.

Revali laughed, a choking, unhappy thing. "You don't believe it."

"No, Revali, I-"

"You don't believe it, do you?" The tears were threatening his eyes again, and this time they wouldn't go away. "You think I'm lying."

"Revali, I would never think that you'd lie about something like that."

"Well everyone else does!" Revali's hands were gripped into fists, shaking by his sides. "Everyone else thinks that I'm just lying to get attention! That I'm just trying to get pity and attention!"

"I didn't tell anyone, I swear."

"But you did, didn't you?" He dropped his voice down, cold as ice. "You told someone harmless, and they told someone harmless, and they told someone else who told a handful of people, and now the whole school knows! Don't you get it?"

Tears were running down his face now, ruining his makeup for sure. Scary friend. He sure was the scary friend, screaming and crying by the door. He calmed down his breathing, standing up a little straighter.

Daruk sighed, staring down at the ground. "I told Urbosa."

Revali choked, sucking in a deep breath. He could break down. Everything had just crashed down at his feet; the last person he trusted, the one with the most sensitive information...

It wasn't worth it.

He sighed, shaking his head before turning and walking away. It wasn't worth it, anymore. Daruk told someone. It was just like he figured: Urbosa probably told Gan. And he might have told Ghirahim, actually, because he seemed much more the rumor type. Or he could have told any number of his football teammates. It just didn't matter, anymore.

He would die anyway.

"Revali, wait, let me-"

"Go to hell, Daruk." He bit back. "And don't you dare follow me back."

Revali didn't feel the cold as he stormed back to his building, hands clenched into fists, brows drawn into a tight line. He didn't know how he was going to do this group project, but...

No, he was going to do it just like he did every other group project. Keeping to himself, and working hard. It didn't matter what everyone working with him thought about him as a person as long as he did his part and pulled his weight. That was all that mattered.

Wiping at his eyes, Revali kept moving. It didn't matter, anymore. He and Link were broken up, so his opinion of him didn't matter either. 

The whole group would know soon, he was sure of it. But now? It wasn't part of his job to make friends. This was going to be exactly how he thought college would be, at first: just keeping his head down, and not giving a shit what everyone else said.

Picturesque bullshit didn't matter.

Fuck, he was starting to sound like Teba, and maybe not in a good way. He should probably call them, come to think of it... It had been far too long.

Except he couldn't.

At least right now he didn't feel like talking to anyone. He felt like hiding away and forgetting his life, never to return.

Revali turned from his path, starting towards the library, but started to lose steam. Where would he go, for real this time? Link could be back at the dorm, and he... He just didn't want to look at him right now. He didn't want to admit everything that had happened, everything he lied about; especially now. Now, everyone would think he was lying for certain.  
And the library wasn't safe. 

There was no where he really could go.

***

(Link)

When Link got back to his dorm, his phone had been vibrating with texts nearly non-stop for far too long. It seemed like the moment he got out of his car it started, but it was too cold to just stand around outside. Then, once he was in his building, he may as well get up to his room.

He had to admit, finding it empty was a bit of a relief. Revali being around was good, and being broken up hadn't changed how much he loved being around him one bit, even if he seemed so over him, but... Stuff had been awkward with him, recently. Sometimes it felt like talking to him through a wall.

Well... That was how it was near the end, too.

But right now, he just needed to check his messages. 

(Daruk): Link I fucked up

(Daruk): like a lot

(Daruk): I don't know what to do

He frowned.

(Link): what'd you do???

(Daruk): I can't tell you but it has to do with Revali

(Link): does it have anything to do w how weird he's been

(Daruk): maybe?

(Daruk): how's he been weird?

(Link): avoiding answering questions, leaving whenever I try to start a cinversation, always on his phone, seeming in a bad mood, always frowning, distant...

(Link): *conversation, and he's been drinking a lot of coffee,,, don't know if he's been eating or sleeping right

(Daruk): Well... It could have something to do with that, but the initial thing wasn't my fault 

(Link): what is it? In vague terms if you can't tell me

(Daruk): well... Something's going on with him, and he told me, but I told someone else bc it was a really heavy thing to carry as just two people and he didn't want to talk about it

(Link): and he found out you told someone???

(Daruk): Someone else found out about the thing too though

(Link): who'd you tell???

(Daruk): I only told Urbosa, I swear

(Link): do you think she told??

(Link): I don't think she would

(Daruk): Me neither, I think someone else just found out

(Link): but now he thinks you've been talking about him behind his back

(Daruk): Yeah

(Daruk): So I mostly told you so that you'd be prepared, bc he's probably in a bad spot

(Link): well he's not here rn

(Daruk): He's probably at the library then, right??

(Link): Yeah, probably

(Daruk): Just... Make sure he's alright, okay?

(Link): the last thing he wants is me trying to look out for him

That realization hit Link like a punch to the gut. It was true, though; Revali really didn't want him to worry about him, or to be inconvenienced by his shit. That's literally what he told him: to leave him alone. So...

(Link): do you think the initial problem is why he broke up with me

Daruk is typing... Why did it let you know that? Seeing those three dots trail over and over, counting down to whatever answer he was about to get. It was nerve wracking, but... At least he could get an answer to all of this.  
At least he could get close to having an idea as to why all of this was happening. Revali was acting so strange, and-

The phone vibrated.

(Daruk): I think it could be

Immediately, floods of thoughts rushed through his brain. What could be going on? Was it a death in his family or something? Was he sick? Did he cheat on him with someone else? Rarely did anything happen to a person that was that big a deal so that other people would care, but... Who knew?

What was going on with Revali?

(Link): u can't tell me anything can u?

(Daruk): I've already said too much.

Link sighed, tucking his phone back into his pocket. Speaking of Revali... Where was he? Normally, he would be around here. Maybe he was at the library, but all the times they studied together there he seemed... Jumpy. Off. Like there was something wrong.

Did it have to do with the library?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All caught up! And only one day late, too!


	29. Twenty Nine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The group meets up to do some adjustments to their papers...
> 
> And Revali wanders off to somewhere he hadn't seen in a long time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Me? Remembering to update in the morning? What????

November 26

(Link) 

"But that's enough about your reading responses, we're almost out of time." Mr. Hyrule declared, glancing over his wire rimmed glasses and up at the clock. "Remember, students, that your fully edited and polished outlines are due Wednesday for your time-periods group project. The rubric for that is now on blackboard and has been there; I will not be tolerating any more shortcomings or piss poor excuses that these are rough drafts. This is a college level class, first level or not. At this point we are basically a month away from the finished reports being due, so I have great expectations for these outlines, and for you. Am I understood?"

Everyone stayed dead silent, looking over at each other in annoyance.

"Good. I would recommend making sure every piece of your project is cohesive in the more grand scheme of things, if you have not already. You are dismissed."

At least cohesive wasn't what he struggled with; organized was, though. Immediately once Mr. Hyrule finished, Link gathered his scattered things up and pulled himself over to where Zelda was sitting.

She barely glanced up. "Hey."

"Hey. Think it'd be a good idea to get the group together?"

"Probably. I mean, better than Wednesday, since that's when we have to turn in the outlines."

Urbosa joined them. "Meeting up today?"

Zelda nodded. "If everyone can."

"I would think so. Hey Daruk!"

Daruk jogged over. "Yeah? Let me guess, you're secretly in love with me, and we're running away to Spain together?"

She shoved him away.

"Got it, got it." He grinned. "Studying?"

"Yep."

"Cool, I'm free."

"Are we getting together today?" Mipha asked, fiddling with the straps of her bag.

Zelda nodded.

"Wait." Daruk stopped. "Is Vali in?"

They all stopped. They turned, all looking over at Revali. He was, per the norm, completely in his own world, reading a book at his desk.

He was the picture of serenity. The fluorescent light did nothing for his skin, making him look pale and dead and lifeless. A bad picture, but a beautiful guy.

Really something. 

He had been spacey all weekend, really. Absent. Rarely in the dorm, when he could help it. Since they broke up, he was really avoiding him entirely. It was scary how fine he seemed. Everything was just... Business as usual.

...Which did make sense. He did yell at him to leave him alone.

But, and Link really didn't want to say it, if he was stalking Ganondorf, he did exhibit the kind of behavior they would have expected. The shiftiness, always seeming to be doing something when people looked, appearing all over campus...

It was getting to be really... Something, that was for certain. Odd.

Then, as if he noticed all of them staring at him, he stood up, packed up his things, and walked on over, casual as could be.

"I'm going to be completely honest with you." Revali started, checking the time on his phone, then glancing down at his - completely bare nails. "I'm going to finish the outline fine... With or without your help. We're all on the same page when it comes to theme. You all know that."

They all, begrudgingly, nodded. Link knew exactly where this was going: where everything had been going since they broke up. Alone.

"So if any of you would like me to proofread your papers, you have my email, or you could text me. But other than that? I'll see you around. Good luck." He smiled, slid his phone back into his pocket, and walked away.

Really something.

"Well." Daruk finally broke the silence, as Revali pushed open the doors to leave the room. "Guess that answers that question."

"Probably shouldn't meet in our dorm then, either." Link pointed out. "Zel? Urbosa?"

Zelda shrugged. "I'm fine with that... Might need to tidy up a moment."

He rolled his eyes. "Please, it looks perfect."

"Not right now it doesn't... But let's go, we won't get anything done just talking here."

***

(Revali)

As Revali stalked out of the classroom, his brain felt as if it was full of fog. He'd been stumbling around like this all weekend. 

Moving. Just moving. 

He couldn't seem to sit still. He couldn't stay in any one place more than a few hours, no one thing could hold his attention for too long. He had read through so many books at this point he lost count, and all new ones, too.

Normally he just read and reread old favorites, classics, but recently he couldn't focus on them. Normally he just retraced the same different loops around campus to get to his different stops, but now he had been exploring new routes, different stops and trails. If he was going to die, he may as well see everything there was to see, you know? Read all the new books he had yet to read.

Adventure at its finest. He rolled his eyes; it wasn't anything if the sort, but it kept him feeling... Alive.

He never really set out for anywhere in particular; only steering away from familiar landmarks and staying away from the actual bounds of campus area. Occasionally he would wander at night, but... Usually it was during the day. But then only because it got cold at night, with all the snow they'd gotten biting into him with the wind. Other people didn't seem like much of a danger; no one was out in this weather if they could help it. Between the wind and the snow and the freezing temperatures, he had all the sights to himself.

Including the old south dorm.

By this time, Revali expected it to be a construction site, all of the burned wreckage cleaned up completely, all evidence of the fire completely washed away, caution tape replaced by orange cones. He wouldn't know, though. After that first walk to the library he switched to a slightly better path, and it didn't lead by the other dorm at all.

But no. 

It... Hadn't.

Everything stayed remarkably the same. Well, the site had been cleaned up to avoid air contamination, but little else had been done with the late August disaster. Nothing had been built on top of it, and there seemed to be no plans to anytime soon. What was worse, in Wyoming here the snow never seemed to stick, it just drifted by, whipped through with the wind, so it was just bare.

What was that woman's name? The one who was so sure the fire was set on purpose?

He couldn't remember. Strange... He could have sworn it was memorable. It was like yesterday she had introduced herself, even though that was at the beginning of the semester.

He had discounted her then, but...

Revali frowned, shivering in the cold. It did seem odd, though, that they hadn't done anything else with the space yet. It was just a burned wasteland.

Did someone burn it? Was she right about that? If she was, did she know who did it?

Did it matter?

Buildings burned. People died. Everything happened and not all of it was for a reason; sometimes bad things just happened. 

Sometimes bad things just happened. Some stories were just intended to be the tragedies of this world.

Revali's phone rang, and he hung up before sliding it back into his pocket.

***

(Link)

After everyone's outlines matched the grading rubric well enough, they started to head out, except...

"Zel, what if... Well... What if he's in the dorm?"

"Really?" Zelda raised an eyebrow. "That's certainly never stopped you from being in there before."

"Zelda-"

"I know, I know." She sighed, ruffling his hair. "Has he been acting that strangely all the time, though? I mean, I've seen him around campus, and..."

Link nodded, cutting her off. "Don't need you to tell me, it just keeps getting weirder. He was out pretty late last night, didn't get home until past dark, I'm pretty sure. At least he's carrying mace around now; I don't want him to get hurt."

"That is good." Zelda nodded, then frowned, pulling out her phone. "It's not banned on campus, right? Here, I'll check."

"No, I don't think so, why?"

"It was on some campuses I applied to, and I thought that was bullshit."

He shrugged. "Can't think of having heard anyone saying anything-"

"Nope, it isn't." She answered, sliding her phone back into her pocket. "Revali is free to... I don't know, spook the grounds."

Link snickered. "Haunt the general vicinity?"

Zelda laughed. "Something like that... Oh, that reminds me!"

"What?"

"I was going to ask if you ever talked to that friend of yours."

He tipped his head to the side. "Which one?"

"Can you imagine if your high school self could see you say that now? Which friend of yours? Of the many? No, the one who's dating Ganondorf."

Ghirahim. He had... Completely forgotten about him. And that whole conversation. That completely slipped his mind. They had seen each other just that Sunday at photography club, which would have been the perfect time to ask, but...

"No." Link admitted. "I... Forgot. I'll see if he's busy, though."

(Link): hey Ghira 

(Link): ghir AAAA 

(Ghirahim): yea?

(Ghirahim): why?

(Link): you free for lunch? 

(Ghirahim): I'm literally in the cafeteria right now

(Link): I wanted to talk to you about sonething 

(Link): *something

(Ghirahim): Does it have to do with your boyfriend?

His heart clenched.

(Link): yes?

(Ghirahim): Absolutely, I want to dish. Meet me down here then we can go anywhere you'd like

(Ghirahim): Within reason, of course

(Link): of course 

"So?" Zelda asked when he slid his phone back into his pocket. "What'd he say?"

"I'm meeting him down in the cafeteria..." Link swallowed. "Wish me luck."

***

Ghirahim was practically poised to strike when Link got down to the cafeteria. He was sitting on the edge of his seat, turned so he was facing away from the table, like he was ready to jump at any time.

It reminded Link of that painting. The Woman in the Green Hat, or whatever it was called. He couldn't remember what the name of it was now, but what he could remember was that it was the practical opposite. Where Revali had always looked ready to run, Ghirahim looked ready to pounce.

"So-" He licked his lips. "In here, or somewhere more private?"

"More private." Link decided. "I don't really want the whole school knowing my ex-boyfriend's gossip."

"Ex?" Ghirahim's eyebrow raised. "You broke up?"

"He just had a lot going on, things weren't working out... And I wanted to know what you thought of him."

"Well, I'll tell you what I think of him." He chuckled, a dark and horrible noise. "Get something to eat; I know a commons that no one ever goes to."

***

"Does no one ever go here because the heater does work?" Link asked, shivering from head to toe.

When he said no one went here, he wasn't kidding; no one went here. It was the commons building for a group of dorms that hadn't existed for a quite a few years now, so that along with the... Outdated heater... Made it so one really came by. Why the building was still standing was questionable at best, but for the time being? Link didn't mind.

Ghirahim just shrugged. "I don't know. I mostly know it as a good make out spot... If you don't mind a chill."

He shivered again. "Okay, well then... What is all of this about Revali?"

"So, I don't know how it all got to be such a big deal, in all honesty." Ghirahim rolled his eyes. "But anyway. It was the beginning of the school year, he and Gan met each other, and he was a nice kid, but... Seriously. I mean... Look at him!"

"...what do you mean?"

"You can't be serious." He blinked. "Revali just... Never mind. He's not really Gan's type, that's all. But he's nice, they're friends, and Revali overdoes it a little. He took a picture in Gan's jacket, insisted he go to some party with him - I couldn't care less - but then once he was at the party, oddly enough, he pretty much just hid in the bathroom. Then he got drunk, kissed Gan, accused Gan of 'chasing after him all the time' or whatever and then stormed off. Pushy little thing."

Silence.

Outside, the wind howled.

The heater whined in a failing attempt to produce warm air.

The windows creaked.

Link whistled. "That's... A lot."

Ghirahim nodded, a sad smile twitching at his lips. "And then Revali started stalking Gan for a little bit there, and accusing him of assault - the whole list. I think he's just a misguided attention whore, to be honest, from his bright blue hair to his fake leather pumps."

"I think I would know, though, if Revali were stalking Gan." He pointed out. "He was never out late, except for that party."

"Stalking doesn't have to be at night."

Oh.

He felt like such an idiot. 

Because suddenly all of those random hours spent at the library were suspect, every mid-afternoon walk, everything of that nature. Revali being a stalker was back on the table again, and...

And he had no idea what to do about that.

The heater popped.

"I mean, I suppose it could be accidental." Ghirahim yawned, examining his nails, but the way he did it said he didn't believe that for a moment. "He could have been accidentally following him, but my Ganon doesn't lie. I believe him, first and foremost."

Link swallowed, then looked down at his food. He definitely wasn't hungry anymore.

"Thank you, Ghirahim."

"Any time, Linky." He licked his lips. "Any time."


	30. Thirty

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Revali has a nightmare that pushes him to make a decision.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Behind again! Ack!

November 27

(Revali)

Ravens swarmed the smoke filled skies of Revali's hazy dreams. It wasn't just occasional, it wasn't just the kind of thing that would read it's ugly head and then die down. The nightmares were every night now, and showing no signs of quitting.

Sometimes it was the dorm that was on fire, sometimes his parent's cabin, sometimes Teba and Saki's house. Always, though, it was fire. Always fire. It was never constant, never predictable. Each time it hurt worse and worse, like a stake being driven through his chest, into his heart. It consumed him, from the inside out, crushing him.

But this time... This time was different. 

Nothing particular had happened before he went to sleep; he brushed his teeth, his hair, stripped off his makeup, changed clothes, and climbed into bed like he always did. The normal things, trying to feel... Normal. Did a little homework, read a few poems, then rolled over and finally went to bed.

When Revali fell asleep it hadn't even been to thoughts of anything stressful, or anything scary. Well... 

It had been Link on his mind.

He tried his best not to think about him, but... Reading those Emily Dickinson poems, from the book the group project got him... It just felt so personally from Link. He didn't know why, but...

Flashes of blue eyes and crooked teeth.

“Hope” is the thing with feathers -  
That perches in the soul -  
And sings the tune without the words -  
And never stops - at all -

"And sweetest - in the Gale - is heard -  
And sore must be the storm -  
That could abash the little Bird  
That kept so many warm -

"I’ve heard it in the chillest land -  
And on the strangest Sea -  
Yet - never - in Extremity,  
It asked a crumb - of me."

His breathless laugh and rosy cheeks.

Those words just ended up stuck in his head, over and over as he drifted off to sleep, to memories of cuddling up to Link's warmth, to his arms around him, to the rise and fall of his chest.

He couldn't have that. He had to forget, to forget, to forget.

Then the nightmares kicked in. Like they always did.

But this time, he was in the library.

He was lost among the shelves, winding into a maze, on and on and on. Every time he turned, it was just another section deeper. Natural history. Mechanics. Ancient Civilizations. Until the words were all scrambled and he couldn't read... Why couldn't he read any of the titles?

Everything was getting foggy...

That's when Revali felt the library filling with smoke, pouring in like waves. The acrid smell burned his nose, stinging his throat and eyes. It had to be coming from somewhere, getting thicker and thicker, billowing around him, the bookshelves shaking, threatening collapse-

So Revali did the only thing he could. 

On shaky legs, he ran.

Through the narrow, rickety pathways formed by the shelves. He ran past windows and staircases and steaming potted plants whose edges were starting to smolder and curve from the heat.

The whole building was catching fire, from seemingly no source whatsoever. It was just chaos. Everywhere he went there was just more, more, more burning and smoke and ruin. It was thick in his eyes and his lungs, making it hard to see, to breathe, to do anything. He couldn't hear a thing but the crackle and the snap of burning bookshelves, falling and crashing and all coming down.

A safe place becoming a disaster.

A ruined home.

Revali pulled his shirt up over his face, trying to block out some of the smoke, but it barely did a thing. All that did was make his labored breathing all the more difficult, the shirt just getting in the way. His shoulders were shaking, his whole body demanding he stop and lie down on the ground, but if he did he knew he wouldn't get up. His skin was burning hot. His hair felt like it could catch at any moment. He was dizzy and tired, head spinning.

The smoke felt like daggers in his throat and lungs.  
But now he was at the classics section; that meant the entrance had to be close here. There were the tables he studied at and, and-  
A lone figure took a seat at one of the tables, and everything seemed to stop but his labored breath.

He was a hulking figure, sitting there. Wearing a feathered black cloak, his shoulders were broad, his mane of red hair like fire as it hung loose over his head and onto the table. An imposing figure. A roaring lion. 

Something that could swallow him whole.

Slowly, as if he could sense Revali's presence, he stood up, poised for attack.

And Revali's body felt like it was shutting down. The heat persisted.

His body was all wrong. With that giant black cloak of raven feathers, those beady yellow eyes, the way he seemed to grow with every step he took closer.

Or maybe Revali was shrinking. Shrinking smaller and smaller and smaller until he was nothing, gone, disappeared into the smoke and the flame. Just a speck of ash. An ember, floating in the wind. With a single word, he would be gone entirely. In a moment he would disappear into nothing.

"Revali." He whispered his name in that husky voice, smooth as could be, as if a wildfire didn't rage around them.

Revali choked, coughing on the smoke in the air. "Ganondorf."

Then, as if that was the funniest thing he could have done, he laughed. Tipping back his head, tossing his red mane and laughing like there was no tomorrow. 

The cloak began to shift, fading to smoke, and him along with it.  
And the building collapsed into dust.

***

Revali woke up in a cold sweat, clutching Bird for his dear life, Link hovering over him. He couldn't breathe, he couldn't breathe, he couldn't-

It was all ash and smoke.

Ash and smoke.

Burning down.

They're all going to die, what if there were people in that library?

He was so selfish, only thinking of himself, never saving others, never going back. Why didn't he go back? There was time, why didn't he-

Deep breaths, Revali tried to tell himself, but it wasn't exactly working. He knew it was a dream, he knew, but the terror was still very real. 

Deep breaths.

There were no people.

Ash and smoke.

No, the air is clean here. This is the dorm room, he tried to reassure himself. 

Deep breaths. You're fine, he reminded himself. Regain your composure. Link is still sitting right there. 

There's nothing you could have done to save them, anyway.

Deep breaths.

Slowly, Revali sat up. "What are you looking at?"

Link frowned. "You... We're moving weird in your sleep. And you sounded scared. And I'm pretty sure you just had a panic attack, so... You good?"

"Just a nightmare. I'm fine."

He didn't look like he warned to leave it at that, but he was forced to. Part of Revali didn't want him to, either. That weird, romantic side wanted him to demand to know what was wrong, to hold him, but...

To receive comfort would mean to admit what was wrong. To be loved you must first submit yourself to the horror of being known, and he just wasn't ready for that.

So instead Revali watched sadly as Link turned and began to get dressed, tugging on his binder, a graphic tee, and one of his normal gigantic blue hoodies. That was definitely one of the things Revali missed: snatching and wearing those. While they most certainly were not fashionable by any means, they were... Cozy.

And there was just something about wearing Link's clothing that made him blush undeniably. 

But he couldn't keep catching himself thinking about Link like that. Especially when-

The dream.  
Ganondorf.

He was going to die.

That's what was looming on the back of his mind. Suddenly that lighthearted, bright mood was completely gone, replaced by a feeling of complete dread.  
Doom.

That was the thing: he had never died in those dreams before. So now that he had, what did that mean?

He told someone, that's what that meant. If he didn't get help, and fast, he was going to be in a whole lot of trouble. But, to get help, you had to admit...

Could Revali admit it?  
He swallowed. Saying it to Daruk was hard, but... He had been drunk, and around drunk people regardless, and just bring around drunk people will lower your inhibitions. And... That was when no one knew. When he couldn't bear it any longer.

But Daruk can't help. When it comes down to it, at the end of the day, Daruk is just a nice geology major, and Gan is a huge football player with lots of friends... And fans, who would rip him to shreds. Hell, Ghirahim looked ready to floss his perfect teeth with him at the coffee shop.

If Daruk even stood up for him. After that whole thing...

But he told someone. He had been talking, and...

"People know," Revali whispered to himself, putting the pocket book of Emily Dickinson back in its place. "I might as well."

"What?" Link asked.

"Nothing." He shook his head, turning way. "Talking to myself."

He might as well.

Revali took extra care getting ready that morning, to be presentable. To be believable. So that someone, anyone... If someone could help him, so he could get help. The ankle boots with the little heel, even if they've gotten a little scuffed. His nice black skirt. His sweater that draped ever so nicely on his shoulders. He curled his hair all nice, and did his makeup flawlessly, but also professional. Not too much. Not overdoing it.

They would have to take him seriously. Even if they had heard the rumors, they had to take him seriously... Right? Was that a law or something? Revali didn't know, but... He sure hoped so. 

"I have a couple errands to run." Revali declared offhand, as if it was the most casual thing in the world for him to be dressed up like this, in his good jewelry and all.

Link gave him an odd look but didn't question it. He just let him go.

He let him go.

***

They had to take him seriously didn't they... They had to...

Everything they said just kept echoing in Revali's head. He thought he had to be taken seriously, but...

"Did you even report it to the police?"

"Ganondorf Dragmire? The Ganondorf Dragmire? Is this a prank?"

"Well, that's been quite a while ago now, ma'am... Sir...?"

One particular man, may he rot in hell, refused to even listen to him. He could tell what it was, in his critical glare as he looked him over. Revali's bones chilled. His heart felt numb. He could practically hear what he was thinking, whether he said it or not:

"Dressed like that? Man, you were asking for it."

"Excuse me, sir, this is a serious office, not for fetish things."

"Dude dressed like a lady!"

After all that, Revali left, blinking tears out of his eyes. It was over. This was all just... Over.

He was dead. Already. A corpse in fake gold and a blue sweater.

It still felt like there was smoke in his lungs as he walked back to the dorms, everything crashing down in his mind. After so long of putting it off, so long of being afraid to tell anyone...

He finally did it. He did it. He went and told. He did what you were supposed to do! He alerted authorities. He did everything right. 

But they didn't do a thing.

They didn't do a damn thing.

And now he was going to die.

Because word traveled fast around campus, and while it had already been being said that he was saying that, the moment it got back to Ganondorf... Things were going to get a thousand times worse.

But there was only one thing Revali could do. Stand up tall and proud, his head held high, his eyes dry. There was no way he was crying for them, no way.

Sure, he was going to die. But until then? He would live his life fearless.

Fearless.

Like he didn't feel like ash already.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fun Fact: When I edited this chapter, there were horrible forest fires in my area that helped me out with the vivid feeling of smoke in my lungs! Love that (not really.)


	31. Thirty One

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Link and Revali share a moment... But now where has Revali gone?

November 28

(Revali)

Revali was running late - very late. He needed to be in English class right now, with the outline he spent all night in the library polishing up. It wasn't like it was difficult, by all means the rubric was simple, but making the time for it had been impossible.

Especially with Link in the dorm, but he couldn't address that in his own mind yet. He just couldn't. 

And with all the time spent out wandering. That was his fault, but... He needed that. For himself.

Regardless, studying in the dorm just hadn't worked. He tried, but it was like... Every time he looked over at the other side of the room he was hit with this feeling... And that was what he couldn't think about. 

But he was living fearless. He wasn't thinking about it.

Fearless.

He had really finished the outline in Stats, then rushed all the way across campus to building C. So he trudged through the wind and snow, gripping his backpack straps and wishing his raincoat was a little more weather resistant. It had been vicious in the past couple of days since it had gotten colder; Revali was sure that it was worse than back at home. The valley's wind was awful, but at least it felt like you could hide from it. This type of wind tore into you, exposing things to the cold, biting into your bones. He hated it, but it wasn't too bad. Link's hat was still pulled firmly over his ears.

"It's too cold to go out without a hat," Link had mumbled, exhausted from staying up far too late. "Here - take mine."

Link himself had put the hat on him, making sure it covered his ears, but not too much of his 'beautiful fluffy hair.' Blushing at the memory, Revali jammed his hands into his pockets.

Link was just... Too sweet. And he was...

Don't think about it.

He swallowed. He was fine. It wasn't like there was anything wrong with him, he was just... Being around Link made it feel like he was broken. Maybe Link was too bright, but maybe he was just too dark. They were just... Too different. 

And Link didn't need him pulling him down. He didn't deserve that.

He shouldn't have accepted the hat, but he wasn't raised to be a complete asshole, so... He took it. 

Revali frowned, hurrying his pace. It didn't matter how he compared to Link, it didn't matter at all. They were broken up, now. He was his own person - as was Link. They couldn't be judged by the same standard-

Why was he still thinking about Link? About the stupidly soft hat he was still wearing, when he should have at least taken it off once he was out of sight?

Revali growled to himself, trying to push the thoughts of Link out of his head. He couldn't take off the hat though. It was... Warm. Practical. That's what it was. Certainly. Practicality made it okay.

But at this rate he was already tardy to Englisg for sure, so he couldn't afford to waste any-

Time.

Time seemed to slow down, and Revali's thoughts stopped dead in their tracks.

***

(Link)

Link yawned, regretting signing up for English class at ten o'clock. It was too early, in his opinion at least. The best sleep schedule was however late he had to stay up to finish homework, then sleeping in until noon. Of course, not many people agreed with him on that... At least, not many professors. He was sure plenty of students shared the same feeling.

Just not Revali. He was always up early in the morning, taking a shower, reading a book... Just looking serene and perfect and completely over him...

Frowning, he checked his phone. It was nine fifty five - so wait... where was Revali? He was always perfectly on time, or early. He probably had his whole paper organized, not just the outline that was due. He was always so... Structured. 

Revali's stuff was always put together and neat, Link thought to himself, visualizing their dorm room. Not much decoration covered his area, just the picture of his family at last Christmastime. Everything had it's place. Link envied that about him, how perfect and put together he seemed. The books on the shelf gave personality, too. He was a mystery, but one Link wanted to solve. There had to be something more to him than quick 'goodbyes' and curt nods, the cute jokes and teasing personality that had come out while they were dating.

He still missed that too, though. 

Link checked his phone again; nine fifty nine. Maybe his previous class had gone late - he had another morning class, right? Link couldn't remember. Or he slept in. The guy never slept in; just yesterday morning at five in the morning he had been trying to sneak out of the dorm with no hat on. 

Wait. That was this morning. So he was out... Probably.

But no hat! In this weather? What was he thinking? Being from Alaska doesn't mean you're immune to the common cold.

Smiling, Link remembered putting his own beanie on him. It was the dark red one, and the color perfectly complimented the color of his cheeks, the dark plum of his lipstick. His hair was so soft, and it took all of Link's self control not to run his fingers through it, like he had gotten to so long ago when they were sitting together on his bed.

He missed those tender moments, when they were alone. It seemed like they both avoided each other, and... It was a shame, because Revali was the kind of person you only meet once in your life. He had seemed self-centered and weird at first, but... All he wanted to do was share his stories with the world.

And Link still loved that. And still loved him.

He knew that he should be leaving him alone, that's what he said when they broke up, but...

The way his eyes widened when he put the hat on him, eyelashes fluttering, lips parting just that little bit, his cheeks flushing ever so softly...

He didn't think Revali minded, either.

But he still wasn't here, and Mr. Hyrule was starting to talk. Hopefully he would get here soon, and hopefully the outlines were due at the end of class. Several other students seemed to be hoping the same thing; rushing to complete their messy outlines.

Link checked his phone again, this time to see if he had any texts from him.

(Mipha): where's vali?

(Link): idk

(Mipha): he was in stats earlier

(Link): probs just running late

(Mipha): text him

(Link): ??? Why me?

(Link): he is the least likely to text me back

(Mipha): fine I'll text him

Link slid his phone back into his hoodie pocket, and proceeded to take spotty notes. He wasn't going to ace this class, that was for sure; but that didn't mean he wouldn't try. English just had never been his strong suit.

Unlike Revali, who always knows-

Link shook his head, trying not to think about Revali. Thinking about Revali would mean worrying about Revali which would mean he would get absolutely nothing out of this class. He went back to his notes.

But still, a nagging thought was rising in the back of Link's head. 

Revali's never late.

Shhhh.

Something much have happened.

Shhhhhhhh.

You'll get back to the dorm and he won't be there.

Shut up.

Something definitely happened.

Link tapped the fingers of his left hand against the desk, still trying to take notes with his right.

Remember grandpa? A car didn't see him coming, or was the driver drunk? Either way, Revali is dead and he's not-

Link squeezed his eyes shut, blinking back tears. This wasn't happening; Revali was just late. He'd be fine. Either way...

(Link): hey vali, you ok?

(Link): if you fell asleep you need to get up

(Link): your late for class

(Link): I used the wrong your

(Link): Revali?

Forcing himself to just put away his phone, Link cleared his mind and began to take notes in earnest.

***

Revali never made it to class.

***

Gripping his windbreaker and hoodie tight around him, Link hurried on his way back to the dorm. The wind was merciless, and he regretted not wearing a more serious jacket. At this point, it was definitely time for a warm coat instead of hoodies and jackets layered on top of each other.

Absently, he wondered if Revali was warm enough. He was probably in the dorm, the more he thought about it. The guy never dressed warmly enough for the weather. His idea of dressing warmly was putting tights on beneath his little skirts. Stockings, if you were lucky. Either way, with his thin frame, he always looked freezing. He had probably caught a cold and called in sick to class... After Stats, when Mipha saw him. Yeah, that made sense.

Feeling a little lighter, Link forced his freezing legs to move a little faster. He must be pretty sick not to come to class, knowing him. When he was sick back in October he still did everything all the time, still. There's nothing that could ever stop him... Or so it seemed.   
Yawning again, Link entered the building. The elevator, still out of order, seemed to stare at him sadly, as if apologizing for the inconvenience it caused all semester. On impulse, he waved to it, then continued on his way to the stairs.

Then up the stairs; his enemy. Readjusting his backpack, he rushed up the two flights to get to the third floor. Room 302. Fishing in his pocket, Link finally produced the key, unlocked the door, and pushed it open.

The lights were off, just like he had left it. That was strange - maybe Revali wasn't here after all. Maybe-

He's probably just sleeping, the logical part of Link's brain reminded. 

Nodding at his own thought, Link slipped off his boots and crept over to the bathroom. Revali was safe in his bed, and everything would be okay.

The creeping feeling in the back of his head didn't go away.

***

Link kept the light off the whole day, tiptoeing around the dorm and using the little flashlight he had thought to bring whenever he needed it. He was probably sick; Link laughed to himself at the thought. He and Zelda had many conversations back home about the different kinds of sick people.

The first kind was the 'Classic Movie-Style Complainer.' This kind of sick person was constantly asking for something or someone; even though neither of them had ever met a sick person like that. They only ever appeared in, well, movies. Revali definitely wasn't like that before, though... It was funny to imagine, since he was so painfully independent all the time. Link couldn't imagine him whining for a tissue box, or some chicken noodle soup.

The second was the 'Tough it Out,' responsible for many outbreaks of the flu at school. Link already knew Revali was this kind of person; he would just keep on doing whatever he had to do, with crazy amounts of Tylenol and caffeine to back him up. Zelda had a tendency to do this, when Link didn't stop her. It was the cause of many an interesting summer, that was for sure.

The third, Link's own type, was 'The Silent Sneeze,' as Zelda had dubbed it. This person disappears until they're better again, basically. Maybe Revali was like that, when he got too sick, or if he wasn't in a relationship at the time, and he'd just spend the next two days in the dark, then re-emerge a completely well person.

Or he had a migraine, Link figured. Those came on suddenly, from what he understood from Mipha. She used to get them all the time, apparently. The things you learn when you start talking about head trauma.

But Revali had to be fine, either way. Though, it really wasn't like him to blow off class - he went earlier in the semester when he was sick, or if he had a migraine, or things like that. Or the time he was nursing a cough. That was rough; his throat was so scratchy that he sounded like a terrible Batman imitation. It was especially bad because he wanted to talk so badly, but it hurt him so bad when he did. Still, Link loved seeing the little glint of excitement in his eyes, the way his hands pondered carefully on every bit of sign language he attempted. 

Damn. He was still really in love with Revali, wasn't he? Even after they broke up... It seemed ages ago, even though it was only the other day. Why was it so hard? He should be able to be a good friend, to move on, but he still put his hat on Revali, touched his soft hair, and fell back in love again. 

If he wasn't so damn beautiful...

Link shook his head. It wasn't just looks, by any means, and - he couldn't think about Revali like that. Speaking of which...

He thought about just looking at Revali, seeing how he was doing, but- 

He wasn't there. 

Revali's bed was empty.

His blankets were still messed up from when he slept that morning. The little bird plushie was tucked under the covers.

How had he been so stupid?

It was obvious Revali hadn't been here this whole time, so how had he tricked himself into thinking it? All because he was too caught up in the idea of Revali waking up with an awful cold, and him making tea and soup and nursing him back to health? What had gotten over him all of a sudden, where did his curiosity go?

Where was Revali really?

Immediately, Link went into panic mode. First he checked his phone: no new messages, except from the group asking if Revali was okay.

Was Revali okay?

Where was Revali?

No texts to him were saying anything but 'delivered,' and it had been that way since this morning. The last time he saw him was before his class that morning. The last person who saw him had to have been Mipha, who saw him in stats.

(Link): Did you see where Revali went after your class together this morning

(Mipha): Maybe the library? He goes there a lot

(Mipha): Is he missing?

(Link): I don't know

(Link): I'm going to the library

(Mipha): Zelda and I can check around the Gaepora 

(Link): Be careful

So he shut off his phone, and pulled on a coat. He reached for where his favorite hat should have been, but couldn't find it, until he remembered. Revali had the hat. He wasn't dressed to be out in the cold this long, he probably passed out in the library, and slept through class... And most of the afternoon.

Pulling on a different hat and grabbing his keys, Link rushed out the door.


	32. Thirty Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hit and run, and the aftermath.

November 28

(Urbosa): Guys?

(Urbosa): There was a car accident near the library, hit and run

(Urbosa): I think it's Revali

***

(Link)

The hospital waiting room was tied for being the worst place Link had ever been in his life... Along with yet another hospital waiting room. The beige walls, tan tiled floors, inoffensive flowers in relaxing, soft colored flower pots around the room, overstuffed fake leather chairs in gentle teals and blues. No matter where you were, they were the same. If the colors were different, the doctors, the nurses, the distressed people, the sharp smell of the hospital... It was all the same.

All of it made him want to scream. Don't you know my friend is dead, or dying? He could be dead right now, don't you care? 

Cheery little flower pots...

Because it was Revali. He was the one lying there in the middle of the cold, hard, ice-covered pavement. He didn't have any ID on him, but Urbosa was able to easily identify him. From there, they would be using the phone number on college database for his family to call them, to alert them of the situation. To let them know what happened. 

Because he could be dead. 

(Or he could just be hurt.)

Because he could be dead.

Just another car accident statistic. Just another reckless driver.

Just like Link's grandpa. Killed in a hit and run, gone. Just like that.

Leaving Link behind, crying in a hospital waiting room with cheery little flowers in inoffensive flower pots, waiting for his friend, hoping he'll wake up.

***

(Daruk)

If it was on purpose... 

He hoped Revali was okay. He hoped he was okay.

Daruk just knew that... He just knew he wouldn't want to face him when he woke up.

***

(Revali)

Heavy.

That's how the world felt when Revali came to. He was... Tired. Everything was confusing. A beeping noise kept repeating itself. Over and over and over... And something squeezing his finger?

That was irritating. Mouth twisting down into a frown, frustrated with his fingers slow movements, he pushed the offensive device off. Oddly enough, that stopped the beeping too. Interesting. Now it was more of a drone, just carrying on and on...

That was worse.

But his eyes were just too heavy to see what it was, so...

"Ope, that needs to stay on, hon." A woman's voice said almost immediately, clipping the device back onto his finger. "Keeps track of your heart."

Oh. That made sense. Her voice didn't; it didn't quite sound clear, it was a little distant, but that didn't matter. A heart monitor would mean he was in a hospital, which would mean...

"What happened?" He asked, voice groggy and hoarse.

He peeked his eyes open, the world bright and white, too harsh for his aching head. It was burning, terrible, awful... But the nurse smiled, eventually, once his eyes adjusted, the kind of pity smile that would have made his insides boil with hate if he wasn't so tired and confused. "You were on a car accident, hon. You're alright now; no injuries too major, should have to keep you overnight, but... Only 'cause it was pretty bad in a couple respects."

"What do you...?"

"I'll have the doctor in here... Once he's free." She shrugged. "But in the meantime, now, I'm not quite supposed to do this since he's not family, but it'll be a bit before the doctor can get here. I have a Link Wilde who's been here hours just waiting for you."

Revali blinked. "Link Wilde?"

"Uh huh. Do you know him?"

He nodded, then instantly regretted it because it hurt; his brain felt like it didn't quite move with him, just sloshing in his head. "Can I see him?"

She smiled. "I'll send him right in."

So the nurse left, leaving Revali alone in his hospital bed.

Car accident? That was... Unexpected. That came out of nowhere. All he remembered was everything going white all of a sudden, then hitting the ice.

Then the door opened, and in came Link.

He was a scattered mess, like a tornado of warm clothes instead of a man, barely restrained by his own anxiety. His coat was haphazardly thrown on over a hoodie. His hair was a windblown mess. He looked exhausted. His hands were moving to make signs, but they were all just nonsense attempts at words. 

"Slow down." Revali croaked. "I'm right here." 

Link sighed, finally just pulling up a chair and sitting down by the bed. "They told me about everything while you were out, and... They said it's not as bad as it could be, anyway."

Revali's tired eyes struggled to follow his movements, but he was determined to stay awake. Everything was still just too bright, so it was easier to close his eyes, but he wanted to look at his face. The difficulty right now was his head; his vision kept going blurry, and a constant pressure seemed to be pressing in on his temples. His stomach felt fluttery and terrible, and his throat was like it had been glued shut. He would have wanted to eat, if he hadn't felt so nauseous. 

With some difficulty, Revali cleared his throat. "Well, I could be dead. That would be as bad as it could be."

Link managed a smile, but he could tell that it didn't reach his eyes.

Revali groaned. "How bad is it?"

Link blinked. "They haven't told you already?"

"The nurse said that the doctor's too busy to tell me right now; he'll let me know when he's able... Or something? It seemed kinda sketchy to me, if I'm honest..."

"Yeah..." He agreed. "That doesn't sound right."

"Well, it's what she told me."

"Strange."

"Well? What is wrong with me then? Everything hurts like a bitch-" Revali groaned, wincing at a sudden jolt of pain in his head.

That seemed to jump-start Link. "Should I call the nurse back in to-"

Revali, with far more difficulty than he liked, shook his head, squeezing his eyes shut. "Link, please just tell me what's wrong first."

He sucked in a deep breath. "I think... The collision wasn't as fast as they initially thought, which was good. You badly bruised a couple of ribs, you have some really extensive bruising and bad scrapes..."

Revali frowned. Link's eyes darted around the room as he signed with his shaky hands, never settling in one place. He shifted his weight back and forth, never staying still.

"Link, what is it that you're not telling me?" Revali tried to sit up more, to straighten his posture, but his body protested the motion.

He sighed, sitting further back down in the little chair. Seeming to regret that, he scooted forward the chair until he was right next to the bed.

"You hit your head really hard." Link's hands shook even harder. "It was bad: they thought part of your skull had fractured, and you definitely have a concussion, and..."

His eyes were welling up with tears, and Revali could tell now just how tired he looked. His normally messy hair was almost completely down, the hair tie barely holding on for its life. His skin was blotchy and red, his eyes bloodshot. For just having been here hours he looked like it could have been days.

Guilt weighed heavily in his chest.

"Hey - I'm alright." Revali whispered, reaching his hand for Link's. 

Link took his hand in both of his, leaning forward so his head just touched the outside of Revali's thigh. 

You shouldn't be doing this, a little voice whispered in his head.

Fuck that.

"I was just really worried, okay?" Link whispered in that tiny voice. "It really isn't that bad, but when I got the text from Urbosa I was terrified there would be nothing I could do." His voice broke into little sobs.

Revali removed his hand from Link's, and placed it on his head. Gently he let his soft hair, only serving to further loosen it from the hair tie. Neither of them cared, all that mattered is that they were both there.

It was, kind of funny, that he was the one comforting him, though.

That's when a different and more helpful nurse came in, and she related the same information Link had... If a bit more detailed. The location of different cuts and bruises: the scrapes along his thigh and butt, the bruising all along his left side - it was all just adding onto the situation.

Link relayed that he had said he was in pain, and she informed them that he would be able to have more medication in about a half an hour. Having nothing else to check up on, and them having no more questions, she left with a polite request that he call if he needed anything.

Revali liked her more than the other nurse instantly, but hearing her talk about his injuries made his had spin, adding to his nausea. 

"Well?" He finally choked out, trying to sound dignified. "How's my face?"

Link blinked twice.

Revali rolled his eyes. "Come on? I've got to know how I look, at the very least."

"...your face is fine." Link signed after a moment of silence. "You've got a little scrape along your right jaw, but it looks fine."

Somehow, that was not inspiring confidence. Revali sighed, letting himself sink a little deeper into the hospital mattress. It would have been surprisingly comfortable if it weren't for the pain he was already in; thirty minutes could not pass quick enough.

"Just take a picture." 

Link cocked his head to the side. "What?"

"Just take a picture of me, damn it." Revali instructed again, huffing an exhale. "I just need to know."

Link grimaced. "I'm not sure that's a good..."

"Why?" Revali stiffened; he swore he could hear the heart monitor blip go a little faster. "Is it that bad?"

"It's not that bad!" Link corrected hurriedly. "It's just that..."

Revali sighed, falling back into the mattress once more. "It's that bad."

Link shook his head, but the motion was slow. "There's just one little..."

He froze. One little what? Link's hands faltered in a way Revali had learned to translate as 'umm,' not declaring any real words. What was the problem? What happened? Why-

"They had to, umm..." Link resumed with that little falter, the tremor in his fingers and his lower lip between his teeth. "It's just-"

"Tell me!" Revali hissed. "Or show me. I'll get the nurse to do it if you won't."

Link's hands seemed to still be trying to say something, his face still twisted in pain, but he nodded. He pulled out his phone (still with the smiley-face pop socket, Revali noted) and moved to get a good angle.

"Link, you photographer, I'm in a hospital bed." He sighed, but still straightened up a bit for the photo.

Setting his phone down only long enough to to sign, "You ass," Link got back to taking the photo - or photos, rather. Link took at least three, Revali noticed, with slightly different positions. He had to smile a little at that; Link would always be an artist. He liked that, sitting here, letting him take his picture...

But what could possibly be making his lip tremble like that? 

"Here." Link handed over the phone with shaky hands.

Revali swallowed, already feeling tears stinging his eyes. Blinking them down, he forced himself to look over the pictures - or rather, himself.

"Oh no."

Pale. He looked pale, right off the bat; his skin was marked with a multitude of bruises, though his face had missed the worst of that. 

Though, trying to remember, he thought the nurse said most of the bruising was on his right side; this photo was taken of his left. Link would try to put things in the best possible light, though.

His makeup was, of course, horribly smeared to the degree that Revali believed someone had made an attempt to wipe some of it off. That, for certain, did not aid how deep the bags under his eyes had gotten recently. For all intents and purposes, he looked dead. Like a corpse. Too far gone.

But that wasn't the worst of it.

Anything else.

Anything.

Because suddenly he was twelve years old in a boys home again, staring at himself in shame. Embarrassed by who he was, by what he was, by what had been done to him.

Anything else.

Please.

"Not my hair..." Revali managed to choke in a small voice.

It had been shaved down - most of it had, anyway. There were still parts that wisped around the bandages running over the majority of his head, mostly on that right side, but those parts were nothing in comparison with that which had been cut. He could only assume that, due to the injury, the hair was so matted or so in the way that they hadn't been able to work around it. Reaching up with his left arm, Revali touched one of the short little sections of hair. It hadn't been that short since back then, since-

"Oh, no, no, no..."

He couldn't think about his parents now, now that he had just come so close to dying. The nurse just now had told him he was lucky that he hadn't, after all; a little different location, a little harder and he'd be dead.

Dead. The word hit him in the gut like a sack of rocks, and Revali could taste bile in the back of his swollen throat. Dead.

(Gan): Tell anyone, and you'll be dead.

That's what this was, wasn't it? He knew, of course he knew! He knew that he had told Daruk. He knew that he told the faculty. That's why Revali was in the hospital now, because Ganondorf had hit him with his car. Or one of his people had, someone loyal. A sob built up in his throat, one Revali couldn't hold down. 

It sounded so stupid. He had been able to keep himself together, mostly, after how Gan had hurt him. He was able to maintain his silence except to Daruk that night outside that one party, when he was drunk. When he was stupid drunk. Revali had himself so convinced that nothing Gan could do would hurt him anymore, that he was free. And now he was crying not because he almost died, not because his body hurt everywhere, not because his ex-boyfriend was crying in the chair next to him, but because he lost his hair.

Because he lost his hair.

"Anything else..."

As dumb as it sounded, Revali began to truly cry in earnest. As if it wasn't enough what Ganondorf had already done, how he had already taken his dignity and his sense of security away, he had also taken the one thing he always found beauty in. Link did his best to try to comfort him, but Revali knew that nothing could be done.

There was nothing he could do now. All he could do about it was cry, and try to pull himself together, and then cry harder because it had all just worn down on him too much. 

"Shh, it's okay, it'll be okay..." 

Link's raspy little voice whispered words of meaningless encouragement, but they only served to make Revali cry harder. When the nurse came in she gave him his medication, but he still didn't stop sobbing. She asked if he wanted Link removed from the room, and he could only shake his head. He wasn't angry, even though he had every right to be. He wasn't sad, even though he damn well should have been. He wasn't even feeling that much despair, even though everything in his life was spiraling out of control.

Really, Revali just felt tired. He was tired of pretending that everything was okay. He was tired of lying to Link. He was tired of putting on an act for everyone.

He was tired of acting fearless.

Yeah, once he was out of the hospital he would go back to doing it. He couldn't show Ganondorf how much he had taken from him, or how shaken he was.  
He knew that he couldn't hide it from Link forever, as much as it pained him to admit. He would be strong, but it was easier done when someone else understood. Even after telling Daruk it had felt like the load was just a little bit lighter; maybe that was the secret to Ganondorf losing all control over him. He would tell Link, and he would move on.

But that was for after he was out of the hospital. Right now, all Revali could do was hold Link's hand and sob.


	33. Thirty Three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Leaving the hospital the next morning.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fun fact: I patterned Revali's concussion symptoms after my brothers, after he hit his head wrestling!

November 29

(Link)

Despite the bandages, when they left the hospital the next morning, Revali had tugged Link's beanie on over his head. He obviously wasn't wearing the lipstick that matched, and it didn't compliment the flowing hair that wasn't there anymore, but right now, he was sitting next to him. That's what counted. They would move past this. They had to.

There's no 'us,' Link reminded himself. Just be a friend.

Just be a friend.

Those four words repeating in his head like some unattainable mantra, Link sighed. At this point, he was better off just... Not thinking at all. Clearing his head, right? Focusing on just one task, then the next, until they were back to the dorms and he could get a little more sleep. Starting up the car. Fastening his seat belt. Thoroughly avoiding looking over at the passengers side.

Of course, that's when Revali cleared his throat.

"I'm still feeling super nauseated." He stated, pressing his eyes shut. "So... Drive cautiously?"

Link nodded, catching himself before he signed those four words instead. "Can do."

"But less cautiously than you normally do." Revali clarified. "You aren't exactly the smoothest driver."

"I'm not?"

He gave him a questioning look, then went back to staring out forward. "I have a vomit bag from the hospital, just in case."

The hospital. Right. They just left, but, oddly enough... Even with Revali looking, well, like death, with his hospital bracelets and smeared makeup, even with everything going on, it was easy to forget when he was just bantering like that. Like they used to, in the coffee shop, or over homework.

Everything just seemed so... Normal. With his head covered up by the beanie, other bandages or wrappings also covered, for the most part, it just felt like he was giving him a ride. 

Back before, well... Before everything got all crazy between them.

"Alright." Link nodded. "Driving safely... But not too safely."

They both stayed silent for a while, as Link started the car, as they drove out of the parking lot. It wasn't a long way back to campus, and the whole way seemed like it was going to be deadly silent. Revali's eyes remained trained straight ahead, unwavering. His fingers picked at the hospital bands around his wrists. He shivered.

With a slight shudder, Link pulled the car into his parking spot by the dorms. He turned off the car, reached for the keys-

"My mom had long hair." Revali admitted in a soft voice, startling him by breaking the silence. "I don't remember her very well, anymore, just because it's been a long time, but..." He swallowed, eyes falling to his lap. "She'd let me play with it, when I was younger. I swore that I'd grow it out, to be like hers."

He reached up to touch the hat, right where he should have been able to tuck his hair behind his ear. His fingers seemed to ghost over the area, just... Lingering there. Remembering the feeling.

Link turned all of his attention to him, all thoughts of the keys completely abandoned.

"So I did. It was down to my mid neck when..." Tears welled up in his eyes. "When I was moved to the boys home. It didn't cause trouble as long as I kept it in a little ponytail, but... When I started to act more feminine..."

Link's stomach clenched, his throat tightening up as Revali spoke.

"Some of the boys were awful. I could take names, being hit, anything. Bruises fade, you know? This, right now? This is nothing. It's the things that leave lasting marks, the ones that stay with you..." He took a breath, blinking the tears out of his eyes. "They cut my hair back then, Link. With a pair of safety scissors they weren't supposed to have. They chopped it up into an incomprehensible mess, so bad that the staff had to shave it completely so it'd grow back normal. Buzz cut. Quarter inch."

"I'm so sorry."

"So, yeah. I'm taking this a little hard." He nodded, wiping under his eyes. "Alright, let's go inside. I just want to sleep for a little bit."

Link, head still spinning, grabbed the keys, got out of the car, and went over to Revali's side to help him out.

"I'm fine, you know." 

"No you aren't." Link insisted, then offered his arm for support.

Considering the fact that they took him out of the hospital in a wheelchair, Revali was certainly not fine. His legs were very weak, just as a side effect of the concussion. He heavily favored his right side, walking unevenly as an odd way to try to protect those bruised ribs. 

But of course, he would be the one insisting he was okay. Trying to stand on his own. Throwing his shoulders back and slipping out of the Jeep, then nearly collapsing on the pavement. 

Because that was just who Revali was.

"I'm... Fine." He grunted again, this time grasping Link's arm for support, trying to pull himself upright.

Rolling his eyes, Link kept supporting him until they had moved away from the car, all the way into the dorm building. It got a little easier, as he got his stride, but...

"Link." Revali stopped their progress, leaning on the guardrail at the bottom of the stairs. "We're on the third floor."

"...no, we just walked in."

He scowled. "No, you idiot. Our dorm. Our dorm is on the third floor. Won't we have to use the elevator?"

Link blinked. That hadn't even crossed his mind; the logistics of how to get a fairly incapacitated Revali up to their room wasn't something he was thinking clearly on, but... The elevator, as it had this whole time, sadly displayed its slightly torn 'out of order' sign.

"It's out of order." Link reminded, glancing between him and the sign.

Revali raised an eyebrow. "Really? Since when?"

"Since... Forever? The beginning of the semester?"

"That's not funny." He snapped. "You're messing with me. Link, that's seriously not..."

"Remember? Because we always used to complain whenever we would all come up the stairs after English class." Link recalled, his heart beating faster and faster. "And you used to roll your eyes at us and say that you didn't mind? That we were being lazy?"

Revali squinted, glancing over at the elevator. "That... Does sound familiar. Or, at least, likely. I don't remember any of it. I'm... I'm having memory loss."

"I don't think very much, though?"

That wasn't doing anything to console Revali, though. He was trying not to hyperventilate, from the sound of his rapid, shallow breaths. His eyes were squeezed shut. His left hand was holding his right side, where his ribs were bruised. 

Link put his hands on his shoulders, to calm him and to get his attention. "You need to slow your breathing down."

"Don't you think I know that?" Revali hissed. "I'm - sorry, Link. You don't deserve any of this, and... I can get up the stairs. Probably."

He nodded. "I'm right here if you need me."

Just be a friend.

"Yeah, yeah. I've got it."

***

(Revali)

Breathing hurt.

Once he was out of that slightly propped up hospital bed, that was how the world was to him... And, to be honest, before, too. Breathing hurt. Everything moved too fast. Sounds still sometimes felt like he was underwater, if things got too loud around him. It was too bright.

The hospital bands were tight around his wrists.

Breathing hurt.

Well, his whole body ached. That was a more accurate way of putting it. Especially his head, which throbbed with pain every jerky movement he made up the stairs. Why the elevator was out of order he couldn't begin to understand, and how it had been out of order since the beginning of the semester-

And he knew what day it was, that you very much. It was still Wednesday, November 28. No, fuck, it was very, very early in the morning, Thursday, November 29. They had to keep him overnight, because of the concussion.

Absently, Revali wondered if he would still be able to go to class today. If at all possible... He felt like shit, but Teba's voice in his head told him not to be a quitter. He couldn't let his grades suffer just because...

They would get to that later. Right now? He was barely moving.

But the elevator. Why wasn't that working? That had to violate some law or other, for certain. Then again, did anything on this college campus meet code? 

But they made it to the top, shaky legs and splitting headache and all. Link took a step back so he could sign, leaving Revali leaning on the guardrail.

"Do you remember which room we're in?"

He scoffed, rolling his eyes. "302N. But I was supposed to be in 216S, at the beginning of the year."

Link nodded. "Just making sure."

"I remember things. I have an excellent memory." Revali assured him. "You could ask me questions."

"Once we get back to the dorm?"

He nodded, leaning on Link's arm again. "That's... A better idea in all likelihood."

They made it, though. Even ground was far, far easier to walk on than stairs, though the two flights had really taken it out of him. It was humiliating; feeling so weak made him want to just curl up in a ball and hide.

Fearless. He had to keep going.

So Link struggled with the key (Didn't he live in this dorm? Why was he having so much trouble?) and eventually got them in, sitting Revali down on his bed, and flopping down across on his own.

"So." Revali started, reaching for Bird. "Ask away."

"What's your full name?"

"Revali Gale. Well, Revali Medoh Gale." He corrected himself, glancing down at Bird. "After my grandmother. I never met her; she died before I was born. See? I remember plenty."

Link blinked, cocking his head to the side. "I... Never said you didn't."

"It was just the elevator thing, see? Nothing wrong. Just a... Little lapse of memory."

He didn't look like he believed that for a moment. All of Link's attention was trained on him, his bright blue eyes not quite making contact, but never leaving him. He was fully leaning forward as he signed, bridging the short distance between their two beds. There was still that exhaustion, even though he fixed his hair tie, even though he didn't look like he was about to cry...

Revali just wanted things to go back to normal. He survived the attempt on his life, so... Maybe they could just be friends. Link wouldn't want to date him again, not after all he had heard, not after everything that happened, but... Maybe, just maybe, at least that.

That's a bad idea, something said. It's just wishful thinking, they'll try again, he'll get hurt. But...

He couldn't help the feeling that the worst was past, somehow. Or maybe it was just the medication they gave him, making his head feel all gauzy and light.

But, this time around, maybe he could be a little more honest. He already started with... 

...well...

...the hair. 

His shoulders slumped, suddenly exhausted. Any emotional reserves he had before were immediately gone. Absently, he turned Bird in his hands, but...

Link frowned. "Do you need any help with anything, getting to bed?"

Revali squeezed his eyes shut; he did not want to ask for help, but... "My sweatpants are in the very bottom drawer of the dresser, could you grab them? The light grey ones."

He nodded, hopping up immediately and grabbing them. "Seriously, anything else? I could get you some tea or something, if you wanted."

"I'm fine."

Link nodded. "Any water?"

"I'm headed to the bathroom anyway." Revali pointed out. "I'll fill up my cup there. I just... Could you help me stand?"

It was painful. The whole thing was, really, but asking for help was worst of all. Having Link see him like this, all weak and ugly, having to help him stand up, to shuffle over to the bathroom... And they barely asked any questions. He couldn't do anything, really.

"I've got it from here." He assured him. "Thank you, Link."

Link just nodded, shutting the door behind him.

And he was alone.

"Don't think about it." Revali said to the ghost of himself, staring back from the mirror. "Fearless, remember?"

He wished that the people at the hospital had just cut off all of his hair. What was left just made it hurt worse that it was all gone, that they had to shave it. Still, it was better he survived, but...

"Focus."

Quickly, taking shallow breaths so he didn't disturb his ribs, he wiped off the filthy remains of his makeup, then brushed his teeth. What remained of his hair... Couldn't be dealt with. He didn't have the heart.

And now he had to change. 

Moving much was hard on his head. That was the most difficult aspect, along with being ill prepared for what was underneath. He had seen the bruising down his thigh, his knee, but the area of his hip, his side, his back...

He looked like he'd been through hell, and it was only going to get worse.

"Don't... Don't think about it." Revali reminded himself, squeezing his eyes shut. "It's just ugly."

That too just reminded him of that awful boys home, of constantly having bruised knees and elbows and hips and anything else that stuck out, anything else that could hit a wall or a floor with any force. He couldn't think about that; he'd just end up being sick to his stomach.

But the sweats were easy enough to put on. That was alright, and if he could manage class later, he could go in these. And with that taken care of...

He didn't feel good enough for Link to see him. He didn't feel presentable. But he knew he had seen worse, so it was all he could do not to focus on it. To hold his head higher, puff his chest out a little bit, and pretend he was still the most beautiful one in the room.

Even though, right now, he had great confidence he was not.

Fearless?

No. Right now, all he wanted to do was curl up and hide.


	34. Thirty Four

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Revali pulls himself together, and acts like everything is okay...
> 
> And yeah, maybe he regrets that a little.

November 29

(Revali)

Later, after his nap, Revali woke up in a confused haze. For a second, with the fleece blanket, Bird cuddled close under his arm, eyes still closed, he thought he was back at Teba and Saki's. He half expected the sound of little tiny feet pattering on the hard floor downstairs, Saki's voice following soon after telling Tulin to be careful. Teba would knock on his door, even though his alarm did a perfectly good job at waking him up, just to make sure he would be ready to go. It wasn't home; he resisted it being home for so long... But no, someone was breathing close by, and...

Dorm room. Car accident. Concussion. It all came back to him in waves.

Fuck, he needed to take some more pain medication. Between his head and his side he swore he was going to split in two. But, it was eight o'clock in the morning, right when he had set his alarm, so...

Teba wasn't going to knock on his door to wake him up this time.

With much difficulty, feeling like the whole earth was swaying, Revali scooted over to the side with the desk and used that to pull himself to his feet. That was where the pain medication was, too, so he threw back a couple pills, wrote down what he took, and started to shuffle over to the bathroom.

There wasn't a thing that could be done about his appearance. There were scrapes and bruises on his face, too, now that he was more awake... Or maybe the bruises had formed over the hour or so he got to sleep. Either way, no makeup was saving that. In fact, that would be a disaster waiting to happen, trying to apply anything over that. So he brushed his teeth, washed what of his face he could, and set on getting sort of dressed.

Link was still fast asleep, snoring gently, his greasy hair all in his face. He looked exhausted still; he needed the rest. After staying up with him in the hospital...

He didn't need to do that. Just thinking about how he did brought warmth to Revali's chest, made his face flush with color. 

Fuck, he was never getting over Link, was he?

But Revali needed to get to class. No matter what else was going on, he couldn't let this shake him. He couldn't let any of this break him down.

He had to stay strong.

...and undistracted.

So he turned away from Link and dressed simply, grabbing that red hat again in a moment of weakness, and wrapped his blue scarf around as much of his face as he possibly could. 

Why hadn't he been wearing his sunglasses this whole time? The lights were immediately far less painful. He could do this. He could do this.

Fearless.

Still leaning on walls for support, but holding his head high, Revali grabbed only what he absolutely needed in his bag and headed out the door.

***

Never before had Revali been so barely on the edge of time to get into a class, but he had made it. The wind was near impossible, but... Somehow. Mostly stubbornness, and the idea of Teba's dry encouragement keeping him going. 

When he got in, he expected it to be like it was back in September, after the party. Everyone had been talking about him, glancing at him, talking about Gan, about the party, about what happened, rumors flying - he couldn't have escaped any of it if he wanted to, and he really didn't. 

But this time? It was like he didn't exist. Complete invisibility; he didn't even need that superpower.

No one noticed the beat up, bundled, shivering mess that was Revali Gale stumble into the Peatrice Lecture Hall. No one noticed him at all. There was bigger news at hand, this time, and even though class was about to start officially, it wouldn't fit another ten minutes.

"Have you heard?"

"I didn't believe the email."

"It seems so impossible!"

"Who would do such a thing!"

"Probably a bunch of dumb seniors just looking for a prank, honestly."

"What if they were trying to hurt someone?"

The buzz was so loud it made his ears ring, all of the sounds overlapping like he was underwater. Black spots danced across his vision. A sharp pain seemed to be stabbing down through the top of his head.

But, ever so slowly, he shuffled his way over to a seat and sat down.

"Did you get the notice?" The girl sitting next to him asked; his vision was blurring so bad, it looked like she had three eyes and hair coming out of every direction from her face.

"N-no. What notice?" Revali blinked, tipping his head to the side. "Was it important? I might have forgotten."

It was possible he did get the notice, after all, and just forgot it. He did forget the elevator being out of order. He thought he could remember that now, but... It was still hazy.

Memory loss was terrifying. He couldn't imagine. Forgetting, being forgotten - if someone else forgot him, it would be horrific. What if he or got someone entirely?

She frowned. "It was just this morning, about the South Dorms. They're saying it was an arson after all."

"Arson? Really?"

"Yeah. It took a while for them to figure out, but they finally decided to come out and say that's what it was. I couldn't believe it, but everyone's getting paranoid about it, now."

"Funny, now that you say it..." He tipped his head to the side, trying to remember her name. "There was a lady, a member of the staff here who said she thought something similar at the very beginning of the year."

The girl's eyes went wide, leaning back a bit. "Odd... Did she say anything else about it?"

Revali shrugged. "Only that she thought it was some students. No names or anything... That I can remember. I..."

The truth seemed a little much for the situation, he decided, looking her over again.

"...tripped on the stairs yesterday and hit my head, got a concussion. I haven't remembered everything quite straight."

She gave an understanding smile, nodding slowly. "Well, I hope you recover quickly... I'm Prima."

He smiled back. "I'm Revali."

And it was like the temperature dropped.

Immediately her smile faded. It came back a moment later, but... Colder. Less sincere. 

"Good to meet you, Revali." She said, as if every word was forced. "Sorry, I should probably join my group."

So she ran off, leaving him alone. A couple days ago Revali would have felt devastated, but right now... Right now he was more focused on what was going on at the moment.

The burning of the south dorms was an arson?

And more interesting yet...

Impa.

Did Impa know who did it?

He didn't even know how to contact her, he didn't know who she was other than the fact that she was one of the people who was working here at the beginning of the semester, when he got his key and his new room assignment. But there had to be ways to find her. He was determined.

Even if it made his head hurt.

"Alright, enough of that conversation. Turn in your books to page..."

***

Revali had greatly underestimated the amount of noise a packed lecture hall would make, and now, his head feeling like it was packed full of cotton and pain, his bag heavy on his back, legs wobbly like jello...

Shit. Could he even stand? 

He had to. He couldn't let anyone see him falter... Right?

At the same time, though, everyone else getting up and getting going, no one would notice if he... If he what? If he crawled? That just wasn't a viable option. 

"C'mon, kiddo." Teba's voice said in his head. "You said you were stronger than that."

Struggling to his feet, using his chair and his desk as support, Revali dragged himself up. His legs just felt so weak and so tired, the bruise along his right side throbbing, the bandages on the worst of the scrapes keeping mobility to a minimum. His lungs couldn't inflate all the way because of his ribs. His head was just so heavy.

More and more, too, as he relied on them, his arms were starting to give out. That had never happened before; as an archer, his arms were always his strength. And now...

He was just so weak.

Tears threatened his eyes. Revali was surprised to find that, almost, but he paid them no mind as he kept on his way to the door. People were watching, but they didn't see him as the beautiful champion. They saw him as someone struggling. As someone crying. As someone whose arms and legs shook, whose hat was slowly beginning to slide off their partially shaven head.

He just wanted to hide. To disappear. To run. To-

His left knee buckled, sending him immediately down to the floor. It was a good thing he was using the wall for support, so he didn't fall worse, but...

If standing from the chair had been near impossible, how was he going to get up from the ground? And he couldn't crawl his way back to the dorms. He couldn't. That was-

"Vali? You okay?"

And, of course, that's when someone had to recognize him.

It was Harth, coming from his Economics class, no doubt. He was looking tired, but far more put together than Revali did at the moment. Easily so, considering the fact that he was, well, on the floor. His long hair, currently black with purple and blue streaks, was pulled into a low ponytail, loose streaks framing his pale and acne-scarred face. His dark brows were drawn up in concern.

"Yeah." Revali panted. "I'm, f-fine."

"No, you're not." He moved in beside him, offering a hand that Revali gratefully took, pulling him up to his shaky feet. "Let me give you a ride."

In normal circumstances he would have protested, but...

"Thank you."

"Don't mention it - just tell me what the hell happened to you."

Revali cleared his throat. "Well, I-"

"Once we're in the car." Harth interrupted, pushing open the door. "I'm parked just around the corner."

The two of them shuffled over, far faster than Revali did when it was just him moving alone, but he still knew in his head they were moving slowly... Though it certainly felt fast. It was almost like his head couldn't keep up to everything going on around him. It was... Frustrating.

"Alright." Harth started, once they were both in the car. "You live in the shitty north dorms?"

"Correct." Revali confirmed. "And I got a concussion."

"No kidding." He glanced over at him. "You look terrible."

"Why thank you, Harth. You look pretty great yourself."

"Kid, you're moving like you got hit by a tornado, then put through a blender, then tied to the back of a truck for a mile."

Revali blinked. "Since when do you call me kid? You sound like my da- like Teba. You sound like Teba."

Harth, thankfully, didn't say anything to that. "Doesn't your roommate have a car?"

"...yeah."

"Try to get him to drive you places when you can, yeah? Don't be wandering around out here... And is your phone ringing?"

He had been vaguely aware of some noise at the back of his head for a while now, but not as his phone. So, when Revali pulled out his phone to twelve missed calls and thirty unread texts...

"Yeah." He answered simply. "Someone's been calling me; my caller ID doesn't work. I don't answer calls anymore."

Harth gave him another sideways glance. "You're doing okay?"

"Of course, Harth. I'm fine. Just a little nauseated by cars. Thank you for the ride, by the way." 

He nodded. "Take care."

Revali slid his phone back into his backpack, resolving to take care of the texts when he got back in, and slowly got out of the car... With more of Harth's help. It was embarrassing; this should be easy. But... That was just where he was.

He just couldn't let anyone see him break down about it. He was stronger than this.

"Come on, just let me help."

Harth didn't say anything else about it, though, not as he was helping him out and not as he got him into the dorm building. 

He glanced at the time on his phone. "You good from here?"

Revali frowned, looking at Harth, then over at the stairs... 

"Yeah, I'm fine. Thank you, Harth."

"Stay safe, Revali."

And with that, he left, leaving him alone... with two flights of stairs until his dorm. Thank goodness he had no other classes today, because... That would not be easy.

None off this was easy. Hell, nothing was easy! Breathing wasn't easy. Everywhere he went he felt stared at, recognized because of his bright blue scarf, or maybe his face, and recoiled away from in horror.

"Is that Revali?"

"What happened to him?"

"I guess he got what he had coming to him."

He could hear the mocking voices in his head, even if they weren't out loud. He could imagine their sneers, even if they had more tact than to be outright. No, he was alone here. He saw Prima, a nice girl, immediately scramble to get away when she realized who he was. That was everyone. 

He was alone here.

Alone.

Sucking in a deep breath, and taking a moment to be grateful his sunglasses were opaque enough no one could see him cry, he started, step by step, the long way up the stairs.

One at a time. Again and again.

Because even if he was alone, no one could defeat Revali Gale.

Champion Revali Gale.

Stopping for a moment, knuckles white on the handrail, he looked up at the remaining distance to go.

No one could defeat him... Even a flight of stairs.

***

(Link)

When Link woke up, for the second day in a row, Revali's bed was empty. 

He's probably in the bathroom, he thought to himself, but...

No.

The door was wide open, the shower wasn't running, the lights were off. 

And that's when panic set in. If possible, even faster than he had yesterday he threw on his coat, grabbed his phone, and started texting. He was texting Revali, texting the group, wishing that he could call, finally reaching for his hat-

Where was his hat?

He remembered Revali taking it off and leaving it on top of his dresser, but... Now wasn't the time. Right now he needed to-

Wait. Revali's scarf wasn't on top of his dresser, either. And his coat wasn't anywhere to be found, which meant he was outside in the wind and the icy cold, with his concussion and everything else.

Did he... Try to go to class? Did he wander off? Did he forget something, or... Link swallowed. Worse, thinking about what Revali had told him in the car, what if this was the breaking point for him? What if losing his hair, on top of everything else going on, this whole Gan situation, was just too much, and he decided to do something rash? What if what he told him earlier that morning had been a warning?

Link pulled on a different hat, said a desperate prayer, tossed his phone in his pocket, and threw open the door-

And there he was, safe and sound.

His heart skipped a beat.

Revali Gale, in the flesh, wearing his red hat pulled over all of the bandaging, trying to hide as much of his flushed face as possible behind his giant sunglasses and bright blue scarf. 

He struggled for breath.

"You're okay." Link sighed, taking a step back to let him in, then stepping back forward to offer help.

"Of course I'm okay." Revali stated, as if he hadn't just scared him half to death, almost causing him to faint. "I had class this morning, didn't I?"

He led him over to his bed, slowly sitting him down. "You walked to class? In this weather? Like this?"

"...yeah?"

Link shook his head. "Wake me up next time, I can give you a ride!"

"I don't need-"

"No! I'm not letting you. It's too dangerous."

"I-" Revali stopped, clenching his jaw shut. "Can you shut off the lights?"

Nodding, he got up and switched them off. It wasn't super dark in the dorm, but dim enough that Revali could take off his sunglasses.

"Thank you." He breathed. "I... I made it there just fine."

Link's eyebrows shot up. "And back!?"

"Harth gave me a ride, he was getting out of Economics... Probably. You don't have to worry so much, you know that?"

"You need to take care of yourself, though." He pointed out, a frown pulling at the corner of his lips. "If you want me to leave you alone, I'll... I mean, if I'm overstepping a boundary, tell me. But I'm your friend. And I want to look out for you."

"I..." Revali swallowed. "Thank you, Link."

"And you're not just saying that now, and then ignoring my offer later." Link insisted. "I really am here to help. It's dangerous to go out there alone in these conditions; especially since you're not moving well. At all. It's not hard for me to give you a ride."

"...I caught half of that. I... Really need to rest."

"Are you warm enough?"

Revali raised a thumbs up. "Too warm; I need to get out of this coat... And before you ask, I've got it."

Link smiled, raising a thumbs up of his own. Revali peeled out of his warm gear, tossing his hat back at him (it was still so cute when he wore it, even when it was covering bandages... And when he was mad at him for walking to class), and leaving the other articles at the foot of his bed. And when he finished...

He laid right back down, eyes closed, and from the sounds of it, fell asleep near instantly. Which, admittedly, was a little concerning, but Link was also just glad he was resting. Before the car accident it really didn't seem like he was sleeping much. Then again, he was like, wandering around campus, and generally being... Strange.

Speaking of which - Link quickly pulled out his phone and texted the group that Revali was okay, and apologized for giving them all minor heart attacks.

But really, he was just glad he was talking to him again, and they weren't avoiding each other. Because, deep down... Revali could want nothing to do with him romantically. They could live out the rest of their lives as friends. But...

There would always be something about him that Link would be a little bit in love with. Maybe it was the maddening way he acted so stuck up half the time, with his big sunglasses and his black coffee and his pretentious books. Maybe it was the genuine was he loved everything he cared about with his whole being. Maybe it was how he looked in gold eyeliner, or the way his profile showed up in pictures. 

Maybe it was how he signed letters as: "Your Champion, Revali Gale." 

Maybe it was how he laughed until he snorted, so undignified compared to everything else's carefully curated image.

Maybe it was how they never once kissed, even while they were dating, and Link didn't mind one bit because with those eyes on you? It felt like a hundred thousand kisses all at once.

...maybe it wasn't so deep down after all.

And maybe he wasn't just 'a little' in love, either.

Maybe he was just as wholly, completely, entirely as in love with his Champion, Revali Gale as he always had been this entire time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I would so be Revali in this chapter, like, sorry Link.


	35. Thirty Five

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Link has some time to think.

November 29

(Link)

After a few minutes of texting with the group chat, glancing over at Revali as he slept, and wondering what it was Link had forgotten to do, he realized that he was still in his pajamas and winter coat. Which, honestly, that wasn't the wildest thing he had gone to class in, but... It was probably for the better that he change before he had to go to his writing class.

Taking off his coat and hat, again, felt like taking off weights. Once more, he was just back in the dorm. Everything was fine. He wasn't having to go running out to search for Revali somewhere in the snow.

Which, if he had to, he would have been more than willing to go look for him. Link would have scoured the whole campus to find him; he was just glad he didn't have to, because that meant Revali was safe and warm and not lost somewhere. He didn't know what he would do if something had happened to him, especially after the first...

Well, backtrack.

He didn't know what he was going to do if something happened to him at the start. The whole thing, going back to the dorm, not finding him there, feeling like such an idiot-

It was too much like what had happened with his grandpa. Link had just been out with Zelda, it had been a normal Saturday afternoon, but the farmers market had strawberries and of course his grandpa would want to go...

At least, that's what he thought it was. He had mentioned them; strawberries were Link's favorites, but he had told his grandpa to just wait until he and Zelda got back, they could all go together. It would be fun.

It was just strawberries.

Maybe he wanted to surprise him. Maybe it was some special plan. Maybe he was going out for something else entirely, but the drunk driver didn't see the little old man in a wheelchair crossing the road. He just kept on his way, speeding through residential neighborhoods. Didn't even stop.

Dead on arrival. That's what they told him in the hospital, after waiting in that awful, terrible, beige waiting room with the cheery flowers that made him sick to his stomach. His grandpa had died almost as soon as the car hit him. He was in no real pain. As if that was supposed to comfort him.

He was alone.

Being eighteen already meant he didn't have to deal with the system, at least, but... That didn't come with any consolation.

He was alone. Left alone, crying in that hospital room.

So getting that text from Urbosa? Sent waves and waves of fear and nausea through his body, shaking him to the core. How could he do this again? How could he deal with this again, twice in one year? He stayed strong for his grandpa, because he knew that he wanted him to, but...

It was scary. And hard. And hearing that he was okay was like getting a second chance... Until he woke up alone in the dorm again. And suddenly it was just thoughts of his grandpa who couldn't get around very well on his own, Revali who couldn't get around very well on his own, struggling through the heat, the cold, to get to the market, to class. And it was all the same.

That second chance, dashed against the rocks. 

Sure, taking that coat off felt like a weight being lifted from his shoulders, but relief had him collapsing back onto his bed. It was... Exhausting. All of these highs and lows, everything coming back to him-

Sure, he had that time over the summer to grieve, but did he really? Was it enough time?

What would he have really done if he lost Revali like that?

No, he couldn't think about that. He specifically didn't think about that; he thought about the positive, the good. He thought about his cartoons and his video games and his dumb TV shows that have him joy. Grandpa was in a better place now, and he knew that he wouldn't want him grieving so much over him.

But right now, with Revali sleeping there... He couldn't just watch a show to escape. He couldn't just play a game. He needed to get out, to get out of here-

(Link): hey zel

(Link): Zella rella 

(Link): zeltoids

(Link): Zelma

(Zelda): Yeah?

(Link): Wanna hang out?

(Zelda): Don't you have class?

(Link): not for another couple hours

(Zelda): How's Revali?

(Link): Fast asleep

(Link): like a wee babby

(Zelda): Guessing you want to come over?

(Link): what else?

(Zelda): If you don't mind Mipha's company too

(Link): I love Mipha

(Link): B rife there

(Link): *right

(Zelda): Rife

(Link): Shut up

Tossing his phone down, he slowly pulled himself up to his feet. Pajamas were fine, but... A quick smell check of the shirt made it clear the he might want to at least switch that out. And even though he was staying in the building, throwing on a hoodie was a good plan.

So Link, quiet as he could, as to not wake Revali sleeping in the bed across from him, went about getting dressed, and throwing together the bag he would need for his writing class. After all, he was probably going straight there... So he'd need his coat. And a hat. And his car keys, since it was all the way in the Building D.

Once he was satisfied with how it was all put together...

He turned, giving one final look to Revali.

It would be lying right now to say he looked peaceful. Or, really, very beautiful. He was still in his clothes, for one, with his rumpled long sleeve bunched under his neck, and his sweatpants riding down oddly on one of his hips, catching on some of his bandaging. His head was turned away from Link, and from the back...

The bandages didn't look awful, but the bruising on his head did. In parts, even with the lights off (or, maybe, because the lights were off) parts of his head looked almost green. The long bits of hair curled around, getting caught around the wrappings. He couldn't imagine how hard it would be to get that out of there...

And how hard Revali would fight for every bit of hair he had left.

(Zelda): You coming?

(Link): just had to get dressed brb

With a deep sigh, throwing his bag over his arm, Link stopped for another moment, and...

He went back, grabbing Revali's fleece blanket and gently tucking it around his delicate little shoulders.

"Wha...?"

"Shhh." Link shushed him, shaking his head and brushing a gentle hand across his forehead.

Revali hummed, turning his head the other way, and letting his eyes flutter back shut.

(Link): leaving my dorm now

And with a final glance back, he was out the door. Because yeah, he didn't look 'beautiful' lying there in bed. Who would, under the circumstances? 

But Link loved him; and that hadn't changed one bit.

***

As soon as Link's hand touched the door, Zelda was opening it, wrapping him in a hug.

"How're you feeling?"

Immediately, he let his shoulders slump, relaxing entirely into her embrace to the point he was almost leaning on her. No, scratch that, he was definitely leaning on her, face buried in her denim jacket, arms wrapped around her middle. While there were no tears in his eyes, he hadn't realized, either, how much he needed this hug.

"Got it." She smiled, gently petting the back of his head. "Stressed out?"

He nodded.

Zelda started rubbing circles in his back, shifting her weight back and forth. "Do you want to talk about it, or would you like a distraction from it all until you have to go to class?"

Link sucked in a deep breath, squeezing his eyes shut for a moment before pulling away. "Just distraction? I can text you about it later... Or we'll end up doing a late night ice-cream run."

She nodded. "Well, for the time being... Mipha's here too, and she's very distracting."

Mipha laughed. "Am I?"

Link snorted. "To Zelda."

Zelda turned bright red, sputtering. "I-"

"Well, we both knew that." Mipha stated, proper as ever, crossing her legs.

He burst out laughing, watching Zelda turn impossibly more red.

"Alright." She grumbled, trying to regain dignity. "So..."

"So..." Mipha copied, gesturing for them both to sit down.

Link chose to sit across from them, on Urbosa's bed, so they could both easily see him sign. The moment Zelda sat down, the two of them were holding hands.

What lovebirds. He predicted it from the start, he was sure.

"Revali's doing okay?" Mipha asked. "I mean, you said he was asleep, but..."

He nodded. "Exhausted after getting to class today, but doing better now. A friend of his gave him a ride back. Still can't believe that stubborn ass walked all the way there in the cold..."

Zelda frowned. "What building was it in?"

Link paused for a moment. "I... Don't know. Wait. No, Thursday's used to be when we would go on dates, so I would occasionally listen to him complain about the walk from-"

"What is it?"

He shook his head. "That stubborn child of a bitch walked all the way to the fucking Peatrice."

Zelda shrugged. "Honestly? That's exactly what I expect out of Revali."

Mipha elbowed her.

Link sputtered, hands trying to settle on the right words. "Well I know that, but- we left the hospital in a wheelchair this morning! And now he's struggling on his feet all the way across campus?"

"Yeah." She nodded. "That's... Exactly who he is."

He shuddered. "I can't even..."

"Yes, you can. When it's for someone else, you can."

Link blinked. "What do you mean?"

"Sleepless nights spent in the hospital when your grandpa broke his hip for the second time, before he was wheelchair bound? Every time you texted me late at night to go to sleep because you knew I was still up studying? Every single time you just followed me when I was going off my shits because you knew I needed someone with me? Your health is always failing after you do shit like that, Link, and I don't think you realize it, but... You just have a different motivator."

"That's... A lot to process."

"And I can't believe I said half of it out loud." She sighed, glancing down at the dingy carpet. "Well, what can you do? Sorry, you said distraction. Mipha, got any good ones?"

Mipha shook her head. "Other than homework?"

Zelda's nose wrinkled. "Awful idea."

"Wait." She stopped. "Zelda, I know you've heard of it, but Link, did you get the email about the south dorms?"

Link cocked his head to the side. "What about them? Are they starting to rebuild, or something?"

"No, nothing like that." Mipha pulled out her phone. "I just want to make sure I get all of the information completely correct, but... It has been confirmed that the fire in the south dorms of University of Wyoming at Hyrule was, in fact, a deliberately set arson. Criminal investigation is being looked into, but students are being encouraged not to panic and the like. How interesting is that?"

"Very. Arson? Someone tried to set the school on fire?"

"Someone succeeded." Zelda corrected. "No additional fires were attempted, if they had been, than there would have been additional evidence. No one knows anything else. Authorities are encouraging anyone who knows anything else on the topic to come forward, but no one has as of now... The news is new this morning, though."

Link nodded. "I guess we'll just have to wait and see, huh?"

"Yep." Mipha agreed, sliding her phone back into her pocket. "I think every kid jokes about burning their school to the ground at some point, but to actually attempt it..."

Zelda's eyes lit up. "Any ideas?"

She elbowed her. "That's probably not-"

"Not serious ones; I'm not an asshole."

Link nodded. "Like accusations, in Mafia."

Mipha raised an eyebrow. "Mafia?"

"It's a game." Zelda explained. "Where one person is the killer, or the Mafia, and no one else knows who it is, then everyone tries to guess. But all of the accusations are senseless, like hair color, or what they're wearing."

She blinked. "I'm... Not sure I get it but... Sure."

Link thought for a moment. "7/11 guy."

Zelda snorted. "And why?"

"Because... Because... His name is Fyson. Fy like fire, son like..."

"Son... Dried tomatoes? Which involves heat?" Mipha finished.

Link high-fived her. "Exactly. You catch on fast."

She still looked lost, but the corner of her lip was curled up in a little smile now.

"Oh, but you forgot about the most important thing." Zelda was grinning, rubbing her hands together evilly. "It could be none other than... My dad."

They both gasped in fake shock. "But why?"

"Because I hate him." She stated simply. "Your turn Mipha."

"Okay, I think I get this, now." Mipha nodded. "I think it was... Ganondorf."

Link blinked. "Why?"

She shrugged. "His hair is red?"

"True, true." Zelda nodded. "Fair evaluation, red like fire. Link?"

"Your hair is red, Mipha."

Mipha shrugged. "It was what I came up with."

Link nodded. "Fair point... I think it was... Impa, the really helpful, nice front-desk lady."

Zelda hummed in agreement. "After all the time of being helpful and kind, you think she snapped?"

"You betcha."

Mipha raised her hand. "Can it be a group, instead of an individual?"

Link shrugged. "Can't see why not."

"Oh!" Zelda's eyes went wide. "It was aliens."

She laughed. "No, I was going to say it was the last senior class, probably."

"That's... Probably too close to true."

They all went silent.

"Yeah." Mipha agreed. "But we don't have to worry about it. As it, going into the last month of the semester, we have enough to deal with, yeah?"

"Yeah." Link agreed. "And I have my writing class here soon..."

"How long is it?" Zelda asked. "I'm guessing you're driving over there."

"An hour."

"If you drive us, then we can just get some studying done while we're waiting for you; then afterward we can do that ice cream run." She planned out. "If that sounds good to you."

Link replied with double finger guns. "Sounds radical."

Mipha smiled. "Then let's get going."


	36. Thirty Six

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Revali makes something right.

November 29

(Revali)

Revali didn't realize he was awake until he was already half sitting up, his hand grasped tight around the bottle of pain medication he had left on his desk. He must have fallen asleep at... Or maybe he slept in? Wait, no, he was dressed.

What happened?

Where was he?

He was in his dorm, that was for certain. So why...?

Biology class, it was Thursday. Revali poured a couple of pills into his hand, grabbed his water bottle, and swallowed them easily. That's why he had gotten up, and consequently why he was so damn tired. His body felt, well...

Would it be too appropriate to say like he got hit by a car?

He managed a halfhearted laugh before sinking back down into to bed, clutching his head. That walk hasn't exactly been... Well, maybe Link was right. It probably wasn't the best choice, right off the bat. 

But right now he just needed to...

Deal with it. It was always deal with it, deal with it, deal with it. Revali was just so, so tired of that. All he wanted to was lie back down, to let himself relax for once. 

He was just so tired.

But, now that he was thinking about it, thinking about the car, thinking about it all... Was he really even safe? Yeah, he wasn't dead now, but what was to stop him from trying again? What was to indicate that he was ever free from this?

Suddenly, the darkness of the dorm room felt a little less safe, the tiny walls feeling more and more like a prison. Slowly as he could, as to not jostle his head, Revali pulled himself up and made sure the door was locked. 

He wasn't safe.

He wasn't safe.

He was never safe; it didn't matter if the door was locked or not. That was what he learned in the boys home, in the foster homes he was in along the way to now, all the way here: as soon as he thought he was safe, he wasn't. When he found his safe spot, it was torn apart.

There was a closet. It was a funny word for being a queer person, but it was a physical thing in the boys home, a presence of safety. He could fit inside... Until the others learned how to open the latch from outside.

The library.

His own home, burned to the ground.

Who was to say his dorm room couldn't be torn open too? Who was to say he couldn't be found here?

Reaching for Bird, Revali held him tight to his chest. Just that familiar weight was something, but... 

Sucking in a deep breath, he tried to hold it, to get a handle on his breathing... It was no use.

He needed to not be alone.

Scrambling around the room as quickly as his lagging head and uncoordinated limbs would allow, Revali finally located his phone. He searched through his contacts, and...

He couldn't call Zelda; he loved her, but fixing her to be comforting would just be cruel.

And Mipha... They just didn't know each other too well.

Same thing with Urbosa. He wished it wasn't true.

Paya had a class right now, he knew that for a fact.

He couldn't call Teba and Saki. Not only were they at work, and they couldn't actually, physically be with him right now, but...

Fuck.

They didn't know anything. He told them things weren't going well in the letter he sent in October, but... Things had progressed a little beyond that. Hell, things started pretty far beyond that. He just didn't want them to worry, that was all.

Because, as much as they didn't want to admit it, as much as they didn't want to say it, they got caught up in his problems. And he didn't want to force them to. Because he may think of them as a weird, additional set of parents, but...

Forcing them into those roles wouldn't be right.

So they stayed Teba and Saki. Never mom and dad. Tulin could be his brother, and he could be his big sib, but... That was as close as it could get.

So no, he couldn't call them.

And Link... He had already done so much. And he had already left for his other class. 

Which left...

Daruk?

The last time they talked, he accused him of telling. Of talking to other people. Which reminded him... Urbosa knew. Which was... Interesting, but there was nothing he could do about that. Live with it, and move on. The fact of the matter was, if he could make up with Daruk...

Being apart from him was a shame. He missed him.

So, with another deep breath, still clutching Bird in the other arm, he pressed the call button.

"Hey, Vali?" Daruk answered almost immediately, sounding surprised. "How're you doing?"

"Good." He answered on impulse, inwardly cursing at himself. "You?"

"I'm, uh... Alright myself. So..."

"So..."

Daruk cleared his throat.

"I wanted to apologize." Revali admitted, squeezing his eyes shut and just about smashing the life out of Bird. "For yelling at you."

"No, I shouldn't have told anyone; even Urbosa."

"That's not the point." He argued. "I... Have to take responsibility for my actions."

"Yeah." Daruk agreed. "And I have to take responsibility for mine."

They were both quiet for a moment, at a but of an impasse.

"The fact of the matter is..." Revali took a deep breath. "People had started... Talking more in depth about what had happened. More people had. The rumor spread."

"Ohhh."

"And I... Immediately, without a second thought... Blamed you." He admitted, glad that he didn't have to look directly at Daruk as he said it.

"I forgive you, Revali. That's a tough spot to be in."

"No excuse." Revali shrugged. "Rough spot or no, I shouldn't have acted like that."

"Vali. Hon. I forgive you." Daruk repeated. "And I fucked up too - it's okay, alright? Now, how are you doing, really?"

"...do you want the honest truth, or the pretty truth?"

"Honestly?" He could practically see how Daruk would be stroking his beard. "Pretty first, then honest. I kinda wanna hear both."

"I am carrying on with resolve, having walked myself to class earlier. Doing marvelously on all accounts, holding my head high, with unflappable graces."

Daruk laughed. "Do you really just go full Jane Austen when you're tired?"

Revali yawned. "Apparently. Now got the truth?"

"Go for it."

"My head hurts. My whole body hurts, actually, but mostly my head; it feels like it's full of jello that jiggles when I move. All of the lights are off in my dorm because I'm super sensitive to light. And I'm super paranoid that someone is going to hurt me."

Daruk whistled. "You want me to come over?"

"...well..."

"That's a yes, isn't it?"

Revali sighed. "Yes. And... You live with a bunch of guys, right?"

"What's that supposed to mean?" Daruk asked, sounding suddenly concerned. "What does that mean?"

"Nothing gross." He added quickly. "They... The doctors had the cut my hair, but they only cut some of it. So, I was wondering if there was an electric razor - that has only been used above the belt, thank you very much - that could be borrowed for the purpose of fixing my head. If that made any sense."

"I think so. You want to borrow a razor to fix the messy shave the doctors gave your hair?"

"Yes. Precisely." Revali agreed, sitting back down on his bed. "As long as you think you could help me with that?"

"I'm always down to shave a friends head." Daruk said. "I'll be there in a bit; text you when I get there."

"Okay... Thank you, Daruk. And I forgive you, if I didn't say that earlier."

He laughed. "I think you did."

"Well, I'll say it again."

"We're all good, Vali. Be right there."

***

"Hey, be careful!" 

Revali, eyes pressed completely shut, couldn't see a thing of what Daruk was doing. Instead, he just had to trust his friends judgements... And the fact that he had correctly judged the length of hair as a quarter inch everywhere else.

"I'm being careful..." He assured him, as reassuring as he could be. "How're you doing with the noise?"

"Earplugs definitely made it better."

"Great!"

With that, Daruk turned the trimmer back on and got back to shaving. He wasn't even sure where he found earplugs, or who the electric trimmer belonged to; and he wasn't about to ask, either. Daruk had come over here through the cold and agreed to do an extremely weird job for him. He wasn't about to complain.

Even if it was... Odd.

The noise of the trimmer, while easier to deal with when he had the earplugs in, was still similar to having his head sawed in half. And having to have his eyes closed because the bathroom light was on, and having his sunglasses on wasn't an option was... Not fun.

"Have a little faith." Revali breathed to himself, sitting up a little straighter.

Daruk was doing this with the idea in mind that all of the hair underneath the bandaging was already shaved, so... Hopefully that was true, because he wasn't allowed to take it off yet, that was for certain. Probably for another couple of days, at the very least. Maybe a week? Two weeks? It was written down somewhere... On the paperwork he had on his desk. He would have to re-read that now that he was comprehending information.

The trimmers shut off again. "Alright, I'm almost done, are you doing okay?"

"Just peachy." Revali said with a smile. "Thank you, Daruk."

"Welcome, Vali. Final pass, let's go."

The clippers came back on, and with it came the splitting headache.

But hey, at least he wasn't alone.

***

(Link)

(Link): hey, you doing okay??

(Revali): I think that's the first punctuation I've ever seen you use other than an end mark on a text.

(Link): you fool,,, I use commas all the time

(Revali): I'm fine, why?

(Link): just checking in

(Revali): How considerate

(Link): was that sarcasm?

(Revali): Wouldn't you like to know

(Link): I'm sticking my tongue out at you

(Revali): You know what?

(Revali): I can live with that. 

Snickering to himself, Link slid his phone back into his pocket. His writing class had just gotten out, so it felt like the right thing to do to check on Revali. Of course, whether he was actually okay or not was a different matter, but...

He would just have to trust him on that one.

Because right now, he, Zelda, and Mipha were headed out to get ice cream. Quickly gathering up his things, Link headed out the door, rejoining the two girls waiting outside.

"Took you long enough." Zelda teased, elbowing him lightly as she fell into step next to him. "So, still going for ice cream?"

"What else?" He elbowed her right back. "Quick, Mipha, favorite flavor?"

"Neapolitan." She answered, then shrugged. "I can't choose one, and it's like three."

"Good choice."

"Wait." Zelda tapped his arm. "Have you checked in with Revali?"

Link nodded. "Texted him before leaving class; he said he's fine and he was sarcastic at me."

"So we know he's actually fine." Mipha pointed out. "That's good."

Zelda snorted. "That is true. I was going to be worried, for a moment. He doesn't have any other classes today, right?"

He shook his head. "Nope. He should just stay in... And if the nap he took when he got back from his class is any indicator, I think he'd agree with me?"

"Then we have no worries." Mipha smiled. "Onward to ice cream... Or, at least to your jeep. Zip up your jacket, Zelda, I don't care if it doesn't look cool."

Zelda rolled her eyes but, with a little smile on her face, zipped up her coat before pressing a kiss to Mipha's cheek. She blushed, then reached out to hold her hand.

Those two really were just too cute.

Link raised both thumbs up. "Onwards to the jeep."

***

"I just don't want to be overbearing, you know?" Link sighed, leaning his head back against the bed. "After how we broke up..."

Mipha glanced back and forth, as if wondering whether or not to ask. 

Zelda looked between them. "Can I?"

He shrugged. "Go for it."

"Revali kinda told him that he wanted nothing to do with him, told him to leave him alone." She quickly explained, then took another bite of ice cream and pointed her spoon back at Link.

"So, if I'm trying to help him out now..." He trailed off. "I guess I'm just worried that I'm gonna fuck something up for our friendship by trying to hover too close. I want to give him some space, but I also..."

Mipha nodded. "You're still in love with him?"

"Yes." Link blurted out, the immediate truth. "No? I shouldn't- don't tell anyone."

"We're not going to tell anyone, Link." Zelda assured him, reaching across the gap in between the beds and patting his arm. "We're not that kind of assholes. And Mipha's not an asshole. At all. I'm just... You know what I'm saying."

"i know. I just..." He sighed. "I don't want to ruin it. Again. And after everything... I just wish it could calm down a bit, you know? But if being around Revali means shit won't calm down, so be it, I guess."

"So be it." Mipha smiled. "I like that; but you have to remember to take care of yourself, okay? No sacrificing yourself for him, that's not healthy."

Link nodded. "Trust me, I know that. And besides, he wouldn't let me."

"Then a toast-" she declared, holding her ice cream filled spoon in the center of their little circle. "-to so be it."

And they all clinked their spoons together and ate.


	37. Thirty Seven

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Revali gets Link to drive him to class... And to another place he's been meaning to get to, for some business he has to check on.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh my gosh, is this... An update? On time? Who are you, and what did you do to Ted???

November 30

(Revali)

Maybe it was a little cruel, and yeah it was definitely pretty unusual, but Revali decided to take Link up on his offer to give him a ride to class the next morning. Part of him hoped that it would deter him from actually wanting to give him rides in the future - his creative writing class started at eight thirty, after all - but another part really just wanted to get to class.

And after yesterday? All of him was exhausted. Struggling through the elements was not about to be the norm for him.

But he looked and felt a whole lot better without the weird strings of hair hanging down. The bandaging... Wasn't ideal, but once it went away things could be dealt with. He could live with this. And it wouldn't be too long, now. He could live with this.

He had lived with it before, after all.

And with Link's red hat pulled on overtop, matched with a red lip, eyes hidden behind his sunglasses? It wasn't normal. It wasn't anywhere close to normal. But it was something closer to it. He felt like himself again.

Getting dressed was a hassle too, hell, breathing was still painful with his bruised ribs, but he could handle that. And when he was all ready, with enough time that he thought it was decent...

"Link? Link? Can I catch a ride?"

"Hrrmp?" Link made an undignified noise in the back of his throat, barely blinking his eyes open before rolling over, hair catching in his mouth as he went back to sleep.

Disgusting; he had forgotten how hard it was to wake him up. Surprising, though, was his endearing it managed to be at the same time. He was gross, yes, but... 

It didn't make sense. And Revali was fine with that. Fuck, he was still that in love with Link. Damn it.

"Link. I do technically have enough time to walk to my creative writing class right now." He threatened, further shaking him. "Get up."

"Huh?"

"Walking." Revali repeated. "I'm about to do it."

That seemed to register in Link's head, as he finally started to pull himself up into a sitting position. "Up, I'm up... Thank you."

He blinked. "For what?"

"Not walking to class."

Revali shrugged. "Well... You offered to give me a ride, so I might as well use it."

Link smiled. "Right. Okay, let's get going."

***

Link, to his benefit, didn't complain once about the whole arrangement. He took Revali to class, got himself a cup of coffee (with lots of whipped cream) in the meantime, and dropped him off at the next one, for his bio lab. 

Which was... An ordeal in itself. But that class was always horrible. It needed no extra note there. And considering the fact that he looked terrible, most everyone avoided him.

And Revali wouldn't have it any other way. He got through that class, gathered up his things, and texted Link to ask if he would pick him up... Only to have him already waiting right outside the building.

"Way ahead of you." Link grinned, a new coffee cup tucked in the corner of his arm. "Back to the dorm?"

"Actually..." Revali took a deep breath; now or never. "There's somewhere else, if you would. It's on the way, so no worries there..."

He raised an eyebrow. "Say the word, and I'll drive. Need any help getting in?"

"No, I'll... If you would get the door?"

***

It was hard to know whether or not Impa would be working right now, but since the desk was so close to their dorm building, Link had eventually agreed to just drop Revali off there. Sure, he didn't seem happy about it, but... Revali was glad that he agreed. It was weird, the little dance that they were doing around each other right now.

Revali felt like he kept asking and asking and asking for things - and he didn't want to. Link was encouraging him to ask, because it was things like rides, or help with doors, or getting into cars, or things like that, but more and more he felt like he was just asking for this and that and everything.

What would happen when it reached the limit?

Because it had to. Link had been so gracious and kind and good so far, but... He wouldn't be forever. Everyone reached the point of things that they didn't want to deal with anymore, that was just a fact.

And when he found out the truth about the whole thing, about what was going on with Gan...

His stomach rolled. Quite frankly... He forgot that he didn't know. He had been living with it for so long, and it had all come to a head in such a big way, that-

Link just thought he got hit by a car. Out of nowhere. And he was still being as patient and kind as he was.

...or wait. Maybe he wouldn't be as understanding, if he knew the truth. If he knew the story behind everything. 

But this has nothing to do with that, Revali reminded himself, sucking in a deep breath and immediately regretting it because of his ribs. Damn, those hurt. But this wasn't about that - this wasn't about any of that. This was about a tiny comment at the beginning of the year that could have been nothing, that could lead to nothing but embarrassment, but...

At this point? Who better for that? He had literally nothing to lose.

Revali actually considered it. The only thing, really, that could go wrong that hadn't, remarkably, were his grades, but that was because they took an unhealthy precedent over everything else in his life. His friends were... On shaky ground. Daruk had been ridiculously nice about the whole thing, but he couldn't shake the feeling that he was still wary, still walking on eggshells. 

And what happened if-

Never mind. Revali swallowed, squeezing his eyes shut in a futile attempt to fight back the headache, and approached the front desk.

And if he really believed in some higher power, he would have thanked them, because sitting there, giving him an odd look from under her furrowed brows, was Impa. She looked much the same, her tiny hands clasped together on the desk in front of her, head tipped just a little bit to the side.

"Hello, can I help you?"

Here goes nothing. "I think that you can - though, it may be a bit of an... Odd question, to say the least. But if you can help me..."

She frowned, hard lines forming around the corners of her mouth. "Look. I may be old, but patience is a thing I'm not too keen on. If this is a practical joke-"

Revali caught her eye. "I'm dead serious."

Impa closed her mouth, tilting her head to the side. "Alright then. Try me."

Deep breath; ribs ache. "It's about the fire."

Her eyes went wide for a moment, just a flash of shock, before calming back down again. "There's nothing to worry about. The investigation is under control-"

"No, it's something you said about it." Revali interrupted to remind her, taking a step forward towards the desk and hushing his voice. "You said you thought it was some of the kids. Why did you say that?"

"Because it was the easiest to blame." Impa stated simply, but it was too quick. 

The way her eyes darted around... She was lying. There was something more. Something deeper. And maybe this wasn't his place. Maybe this was something he shouldn't be doing. But right now?

Right now he wanted the truth, and he had nothing to lose.

Revali crossed his arms. "I don't think so."

"Stubborn, aren't you?"

"He shrugged. "When I want to be, yes. Or when I know I'm being lied to."

Her mouth twisted, the corner turning down into a frown. "You're quite the dramatic, aren't you? Lucky for you, I like that kind of directness."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means you're an actor, plain and simple, when it comes to getting what you want. And I appreciate someone willing to come out and try to get what if is they're looking for."

Revali blinked, shifting his weight from side to side. "I wouldn't say I'm..."

"I don't mean it in a bad way... All the time." Impa's eyes seemed to sparkle with an impish kind of glee. "What was your name?"

"Revali. Revali Gale."

"Revali." She said the name slowly, then leaned forward from her desk, looking him straight in the eye. "Why do you have interest in the fires, Revali?"

"I..." He cleared his throat. "I want to find the truth."

Impa hummed, leaning back again. "So tell me: is it really justice you're tracking? Do you need to see whoever did it punished for what they did? The law carried out?"

"Not necessarily. It depends on who it is. Obviously, if they know better, that is how their story should be completed-"

"Ah ah ah-" She interrupted him, smiling. "Their story. You've already answered my question. So it's because you're curious. You want to know the story. To piece together what happened on the inside."

Revali hesitated, then nodded. "When you word it like that... I do suppose that's what it is."

"Good." Impa nodded, still smiling. "Because I'm not turning them in to the police. Not unless... No, I'm not. Was it wrong for them to do it? Yes, absolutely. Should they receive some form of punishment as a result? Most likely, yes. A slap on the wrist is good for young people. But would it most likely derail the lives of otherwise bright and upcoming kids to be arrested and charged with this crime? Yes. And to me? An old woman who's seen so many bright kids come through these doors over the years, falling away into this and that? That's just not worth it."

"I... Think I understand."

"I'd rather them have the best chance possible at success. That is my objective - my story, if you will." She smiled, changing how she held her hands. "Then you still want me to tell you who it was?"

They both glanced around, make sure that the coast was completely clear. No one else was around; it was just the two of them.

He stepped in as close as he could. "Absolutely."

"First, I have to have my fun." Impa shrugged, smiling innocently. "You're too dramatic not too. Why should I tell you, and not anyone else? And this information doesn't get spread around; it stays in sealed lips."

There were a few different directions he could go with this, but...

What would get him the most sure results? Impa valued it when he was forward. When he went for what he wanted; not when it was skipped around. So...

Revali sighed; he may as well just go there first and then work up the rest. "Because my childhood home burned down, nearly taking me with it. Fire is something that's been close to me my whole life; which gives me a unique perspective on the topic. I don't just take information and lock it away, either. I'm a writer, a storyteller. This story may not be told as who did it, but the story could be told years along the line if I'm the one you tell, because I would take it and mold it and make it my own."

She raised an eyebrow. "Impressive. Very well then, if you truly want to know... it was the varsity football team."

His blood ran cold. 

Ears ringing.

"What?"

"Not all of them." Impa clarified, assessing his no doubt shocked expression. "But I don't know all of the boys on that team; there are too many for that. The one I recognized, though, setting the initial blaze? That was Ganondorf Dragmire, captain of the team. He's only a sophomore this year, so I-"

The ringing in his ears was getting louder and louder.

Like he was underwater.

His lungs burned.

He couldn't breathe.

Dark spots danced in front of his vision.

"Ganondorf Dragmire." 

Impa was looking at him, mouthing something, but he couldn't hear her. His vision was blurring, everything shifting-

So Revali did the only thing he could do.

Clenching his fists, he squeezing his eyes shut, turned, and started to walk away. It didn't matter his legs were shaking. His blood felt cold and his chest felt hollow and his body felt so, so heavy. More than ever, his mind was filled with questions he didn't know how to answer.

He just needed to get out of here.

He needed to run, to hide, just to get out but the space seemed to large and every step he took so small - was it really that far to the door before? He didn't think so, but...

But it was all he could do.

Impa was probably saying something, but he wasn't listening. He knew everything that he needed to know.

Because he was only a sophomore, this year. A bright young kid. How many articles do you see like that every day? Revali couldn't read the news most of the time before, and now even less. Bright young football stars, young valedictorians, wrestling champions, commit some crime and get off scot free.

Or, in this case, don't even get changed.

No one will know.

The secret will die out in that small group.

A loyal football team.

An old woman with bright hopes for the future.

And the ashes of a student he left behind.


	38. Thirty Eight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Link has some time to think over his relationship to Revali: what it's been, and what it is now. 
> 
> And Revali steels himself for a challenge, and embraces what needs to be done.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's 3:03 AM Thursday morning so technically late but not by much?

December 1

(Link) 

Saturday morning rolled around, and Link was finally starting to think that things were evening out. Revali had accepted his rides yesterday, along with help in and out of the car and such, and he had seemed, strangely enough, in a good mood. Sure, he was dead tired when he got home and went to bed right after he got back, but that was to be expected. He was in a car accident, for fuck's sake. That's gotta really take it out of you. And he walked home from his last stop which, while Link didn't like, he accepted. He had to admit, though, he was waiting for a text from him until the moment he stumbled through the dorm room door.

That was his own fault, though. Revali was going to be as independent as possible, no matter his physical condition. He didn't need a knight in shining armor. 

But now, eleven o'clock in the morning, everything was calm and peaceful and... Nice. Revali was in the bathroom, showering, since he was allowed to remove the bandage and get his head wet now. And Link was...

Thinking about him.

Wishing.

Hoping.

Ugh, how was he ever going to get over this?

Because, as he watched Revali walk away from his car, he realized he had no idea what came next. They weren't even supposed to room together to begin with; why would he expect to room together next semester? And after their breakup, Revali wanted nothing to do with him. Who was to say he wasn't just tolerating him until the end of the month?

Because time was almost up; the group project was winding to a close in a short two weeks now, and...

Fuck, Link didn't want to lose Revali. A couple days ago that had been literal, not wanting him to die, but he didn't want him to wander out of his life. He just wanted to be near him.

Just to be near him.

The shower shut off, and Link focused on pretending to be working on his paper for his writing class, just trying to make it seem like he was doing some kind of work so that when Revali walked back in, it wouldn't just seem like his head was in the clouds, thinking about him.

Like he always was.

***

(Revali)

Carefully, mentally preparing himself for what was underneath, Revali peeled up the bandaging from his head. He knew what was there. It was shaved head, and whatever they had to do to the skin after the injury to hold it together. It wasn't going to be bad, it wasn't going to be bloody. Just ugly.

Just ugly.

Still, his stomach turned. His phone, perched on the edge of the sink, begged him to call someone to talk to.

Or, even better, he could just talk to Link...

But he didn't want to strain what he and Link had going on. What if that little bit was too much? He had offered rides, help at every turn. What if Revali was getting to be a burden? He didn't want to push it too far.

It was time he start helping him in return for some of this. Sure, he had in the beginning, with his coursework, but that was... Basic stuff. They both had each other proofread things, let alone that one project with the Cézanne paintings...

No, he needed to do this on his own. Then, once he was finished with that, he knew what he needed to do.

But he didn't just want their relationship to be traded favors where they felt like they owed each other all the time, and-

Fuck.

Revali hadn't been paying attention, and in his haste had ripped away a whole section of bandaging.

It was fine; there wasn't anything wrong with that, other than the starting look of the skin underneath. It would... Take some time to look normal again. And some time after that to look beautiful again. Right now?

He gagged. It was nothing short of repulsive: the way his skin had been glued together to make the seam, with the bruising and the hair and everything else...

But that was just how it was.

Slowly, pulling himself back up, Revali faced himself in the mirror. With shaking hands he tore down the rest of the bandages, staring straight at the ugly skin underneath them.

"And I'm fine with that." He forced himself to say. "I'm not so vain that'll destroy me. It's just ugly. I'm allowed to... There are allowed to be ugly parts of me."

And as he turned away to get into the shower, tears were welling up in his eyes. There wasn't even any blue color left to any of the hair; all of that was gone, too. It was just...

Exactly like it was before.

Exactly like it.

Buzz cut.

Quarter inch.

***

(Link)

When Revali got out of the shower, his head was completely bare. No hat, no bandages, nothing - just the bruising and puckered skin from the accident. It looked pretty nasty on its own, but he wasn't about to point that out. Revali, at least, looked in good spirits, and over all a lot better without the awkward bandages.

"Still working on that?"

Link blinked. "What?"

"Are you still working on that writing paper? I'm sure I could help you with it." Revali offered, pushing up the sunglasses on his nose. "If, of course, this stupid concussion will let me read more than a couple sentences strung together."

He shrugged, trying not to burst out into a grin. "Sure - here, sit down, I'll enlarge the text size for you, and I can change the background color to something with less contrast."

"Thanks... What are the parameters?"

"What?"

"Of the paper?" Revali sat down, then turned and looked at him. "What does the paper have to be?"

"Ten pages long, mainly. We got to pick the topic, though, so it's not so bad?"

He shuddered, looking up from the laptop. "For a non-writer? And for a freshman level class? What teacher is that?"

"Shad. He's the really new, young professor." Link explained. "A lot of the other students are pretty sure he's trying to prove himself, or something like that."

"That's dumb." Revali grumbled, turning his attention back to the paper. "As always, I'll mark something I think needs changing, asterisk if it needs a source, and put a note in parentheses if it needs it?"

He nodded. "Sounds good."

"And Link?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm not just doing this so I won't owe you."

A million thoughts were racing through his head. What did that mean? He had been doing a lot of things for Revali, lately...

"I don't think you do owe me." Link signed quickly. "You don't. At all. Don't think that you do."

Revali smiled. "So... We're just... Friends?"

A lump rose in his throat. After everything, the breakup, the yelling, the fighting, the avoiding, the suspicion, the questioning, the wondering...

"Friends."

"Good. Now, let's get to this paper..."

"And Revali?" Link could feel the lump in his throat, but while he had courage...

"Yeah?"

"You look a lot better... Now that there's no bandaging."

He gave a grim smile. "The skin is fairly horrific."

"Yeah, but it's not too distracting. Not like the bandages were." Link pointed out. "You're looking better."

Revali blushed. "I... Thank you. Back to the paper. But... Thank you." 

***

(Revali)

After they were both satisfied, for now, with the status of the paper, Revali set out on his true mission. But first...

Coffee.

It felt a little bit silly. Okay, scratch that, very silly. Why, in his concussed, bruised rib, awful state, when he was leaving his dorm for other reasons, was he also tacking on a trip to the coffee shop instead of just getting the cafeteria coffee?

Because it was special. And right now... He could use some special. 

Special... He felt special, after-

Shh, stop thinking about it! He was still blushing wildly, smiling from ear to ear.

But he did get dressed, after finishing with Link's paper, simply and practically suited for the weather. His high waisted jeans fit him decently well, and the chunky black sweater barely tucked into them, but it did look nice together. He couldn't help but wonder if that only worked because he had lost weight, but he blocked that out of his mind. Blue scarf, red hat, and mandatory sunglasses, coat, and boots...

He looked okay. Not great, but with a little red lipstick on, he was confident enough to go, shaved head or not. No matter what Link said, it still didn't look great.

First stop: coffee shop.

But first he would have to struggle down the stairs. The concussion symptoms, while awful, we're getting easier by the day. He could move around alright, by now... If he needed a little support. The dizziness was really what made that difficult, now and again.

So if he just took it slow, pretending no one was watching...

Because it did feel like everyone was watching. All semester it had, really. Like Gan was watching his every move, waiting. Like everyone was staring at him, judging. It was terrifying. But the stairs weren't that hard at the end of the day, and after that?

After that, it was just a long walk.

So, bracing himself for the wind, Revali set out to go.

***

"Wow, what brings you in through the storm on a Saturday afternoon?" The barista greeted as soon as Revali walked in the door, while he was still dusting the snow off his coat. "Must be quite a reason."

He was sure he knew that voice from somewhere...

"Feel free to take your coat off - there are some pegs there, by the door." He urged him, and that's when it clicked.

Revali looked up at the counter, and there he was. Thin face, pale skin, dark grey eyes rimmed by thick eyeliner, and a flop of white hair. Crisp white button down rolled up to the elbow under his red work apron, decorated with little gold enamel pins for excellent service, no doubt.

With a little smile, as much of one as he could manage, being caught off guard, and a nod, he hung up his coat and came over to the front. 

"So, Ghirahim, is it?"

"Yes, you even said it right." He smiled, all perfectly straight, ultra-white teeth; it seemed like he showed every single one. "I'm sure you understand the struggle."

"Have you ever taken one of Mr. Hyrule's classes?"

Ghirahim shook his head, big dangly earrings swaying back and forth. "No, I haven't. Oh, I'm sorry, what kind of coffee would you like?"

"Large, plain black coffee?" Revali paused. "With one shot of espresso."

He nodded. "Alright, coming right up. That's right, you and Link are opposites... Oh, I'm so sorry! I forgot that you two... You know..."

"Oh, don't be, we're on good terms."

Ghirahim raised a pale eyebrow. "Really?"

"We're... Working on it." Revali nodded. "But we're definitely in friendly terms again, which is definitely a good thing, for roommates."

"That's for certain."

"How are things going with you, though?"

"Everything's been pretty good." Ghirahim finally decided, pouring the espresso. "Had a little car trouble, but nothing too bad. Grades are a little fucked, but nothing I won't be able to fix before the end of the semester. Things like that."

Revali nodded. "Yeah. Things like that."

"And you never answered my question."

"What's that?"

He set down the drink on the counter, then leaned forward a little. "What are you doing out here? You look like you're on a mission."

A mission. That's really what it was, wasn't it? A mission? Revali set his jaw, and nodded.

"Yeah, that's what I'm out here doing. I'm on a mission. Thank you for the coffee."

Ghirahim gave him a strange look, then smirked. "Oh, and I love your haircut."

"Thanks."

Revali paid, left, and set out with new boldness, and a new fire set. He was ready.

He was on a mission.

***

(Link)

They were back to being friends. At the very least...

Link couldn't stop smiling to himself, just expressing how happy he felt. Revali didn't just want to be near him because he owed him, he... He wanted to be near him. He wanted to help him out. He wanted to be his friend.

They could repair this.

Maybe they could room together next semester. Maybe... Maybe they could fix this.

As friends first. Who knew if more could follow. Link wanted it to; heaven knew he loved Revali like nothing else, but if that didn't happen he was okay with that too.

Come hell or high water, he just wanted to be with Revali.

And now... Now they could be friends again.

And that's all he could ask for.


	39. Thirty Nine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Link goes to photography club and has a chat with Ghirahim, who seems a little... Off the rails.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day late, I know

December 2

(Link)

Link swore he was still smiling on Sunday afternoon, when his photography club met. While they met at a set time, they tried to meet different places around campus, where they might be able to to take interesting photos, or things like that. But with the recent bad weather, they were pretty much stuck inside. Hence, being in the Gaepora Building.

Despite that, though, no one seemed down. In fact, everybody seemed to be buzzing with excitement. People chattered in small groups, eyes wide, hands animated as they told stories. Phones were passed back and forth. Had something happened? What was going on? What was making everyone so awake?

...Or so nervous.

Ghirahim looked like he was about to fall over, clutching his coffee cup with his manicured talons like it was the only thing keeping him sane. His eyes were out of focus. His shirt wasn't even fashionably partially tucked in.

Link's stomach turned. Whatever it was, it had to be pretty serious to have Ghira acting out of sorts; he was normally completely unflappable; the only things that caught him off guard were bad test scores and car accidents.

But his driving was awful, so maybe that second one shouldn't have been such a surprise. He swerved out of control and hit a tree just this last week; he was really lucky that he got out of it unscathed.

Regardless of his driving record, though, Link shouldered his backpack and crossed the room to talk to him.

"Hey."

No response - he was still just staring forward at the void.

"Hey!" Link waved his hand in front of his face, getting his attention for sure. "You doing okay?"

"Oh, I'm doing fine, how are you?"

And just like that, his entire demeanor shifted. He went from looking stiff, coiled up and ready to strike, to being the normal, relaxed, almost oozing Ghirahim Link knew so well. It was like flipping a switch, almost. The change was so sudden, it was scary.

"I'm... Alright." He nodded, still looking him up and down. "Something going on?"

Ghirahim's eyes went wide; his eyeliner was crooked. "You haven't heard?"

"Nope."

"You... Must be the last person in the whole school, then." He swallowed, then took a swig of his coffee. "The police took a few students into custody on arson charges. You know, the whole south dorms situation? And now everyone's making a big fuss, just because of who it is."

Link frowned. "Well, who was it...?"

"They didn't do it." Ghirahim snapped. "Sorry, Link. Didn't mean to... Never mind. You don't care, do you? That's good. But they're all innocent, and that's why I'm not worried in the first place. Everyone makes enemies when they're at the top, after all. It's not all glitz and glamor, no matter how good it looks-"

"Ghira?"

"Hmm?" He took a sip of his coffee. "What? Do I have something on my face?"

"Are you going to tell me?"

"Tell you what?"

"Who did they arrest?"

Ghirahim stiffened. "Well... They took a lineup of the football team, and some apparent eyewitness pointed a few members out. Ganondorf, among others. But, like I said, they aren't guilty; that's why I'm not worried."

Link raised an eyebrow, once more looking around the room. The club met informally- that's part of why he liked it so much - so everyone was still just talking in small clusters around the Gaepora. Compared to the relative calm and ease of conversation everyone else was having? Ghirahim looked like he was having a straight up mental breakdown, with the animated way he talked with his hands, the shaking of his fragile shoulders.

"I'm really not that worried." Ghirahim repeated. "Besides - check out this picture I took of him yesterday morning. The snow combined with the early morning on his red hair..."

He could tell that he was just talking to talk. If Ghirahim wasn't at all freaked out, than Link find a bird, stick it on his head, and call it his new hat. 

"Ghira... You know that it's okay to be worried about your boyfriend, right?"

His shoulders drew up, mouth opening as if about to speak, but then his shoulders drooped back down again, as if the weight of his bright red scarf were too much for his slight frame. "He wouldn't want me to worry."

"And? He's not here."

"And he's probably in a jail cell right now, or getting interrogated by the police, or whatever the hell they do." Ghirahim pointed out, tucking his phone back into his pocket. "Look, everything is going to be okay, because that's how it is. Gan didn't start that fire; he's not guilty, they've got to send him back here soon."

Link nodded, trying to look reassuring as much as possible. "When did this all happen?"

"Last night. That's when the campus police came to his dorm, anyway. They sent out the email about the whole thing this morning. Kind of strange, isn't it, that you should include the names of the students before the conviction?"

He shrugged. "I don't really know how this kind of thing works."

"Me neither, in all honestly. My theory is that someone's just bitter."

Link blinked. "What?"

"I mean, I'm not saying it's Revali too-"

"What!? Hold up-"

"Okay, I really should back up." Ghirahim corrected himself, taking a sip of his coffee. "My point is, Gan's made a lot of enemies. And I don't know if Revali is involved with this one two, since there were other football players charged along with him, but it could very well be something similar, you know?"

He frowned. "I don't think Revali's done anything... Like that, at all."

"Yes, yes, we'll get there. But Gan's definitely made some enemies along the way, there are people who don't like him. I just have to think of who..."

Briefly, Link considered how he, Zelda, and Mipha had tossed ideas of who could have set the fire back and forth between them, and compared it to how Ghirahim looked for Gan's enemies now. He was counting them out, one after another, on his fingers, listing motives, why they didn't like each other, whether or not it was reason enough to frame for arson... All under his breath, too quiet to really hear, but it was... 

Serious. It made him realize how serious this was.

"But, at any rate-" Ghirahim slurped down the rest of his coffee, then threw away the cup unceremoniously in the bin. "-have you taken any photos lately?"

Link paused. Had he? Come to think of it... He hadn't. Normally he would have a stray Polaroid or two, but there were none to be found, since he gave the one he took of he, Zelda, and Mipha's ice cream night to Mipha. It was more of a keepsake than a photo, anyway.

And the last photo on his camera roll was...

He froze. The last photo on his camera roll were the pictures of Revali from the hospital. Fuck, he looked... He looked awful. The bruises, the smeared makeup, the swelling, the bandaging, the mismatched lengths of his hair, the IV's, the wrongness of seeing him in a hospital bed...

He almost died not too long ago. It was amazing he was doing so well.

But for now...

Shaking his head, Link slid his phone back into his pocket. "No, I didn't take any pictures this week. It's been crazy, with everything going on."

Ghirahim licked his lips. "I can imagine. "Oh, and I have this one where I caught the perfect level of transparency of the shower curtain to hide her naked breasts, not that I care about nudity in art, but for campus sake..."

***

While Ghirahim was busy showing his photographs to other aspiring photographers, Link took advantage of the silence to text the group chat.

(Link): have u guys heard?

(Daruk): About what?

(Urbosa): What is it?

(Zelda): yea?

(Mipha): ?

(Mipha): Oh, about the students charged in the south dorm arson case?

(Link): No the other arson case

(Link): yes that one 

(Link): crazy

(Urbosa): Not that crazy, really. I mean, one of them is my cousin

(Zelda): Oh, I'm so sorry 

(Urbosa): Don't be, I know he's guilty

(Urbosa): I just hope he actually gets charged

(Link): that's... a lot

(Urbosa): He's a football player who's skated by most of his life on the fact that everyone bows before him

(Urbosa): He's used to getting what he wants when he wants it all the time, not taking no for an answer or a possibility, relying on other people to bail him out of trouble.

(Urbosa): No, it's time he face consequence for his actions for once. 

(Mipha): Yikes

(Daruk): But when you put it that way, it does make sense 

Link glanced over at Ghirahim, at his odd, jerky body language and stiff mannerisms. He hoped that he was okay; with a boyfriend like that...

(Link): His boyfriend's taking it a bit rough

(Zelda): ooh

(Link): not like crying just like... Talking a lot. Keeping busy. Freaking out a little bit and insisting he's not worried.

(Daruk): That's not scary at all

(Daruk): Don't feel like you're responsible for his mental state though

(Link): trust me, I'm definitely not 

(Mipha): I still just can't believe it...

(Zelda): Believe what?

(Mipha): I mean, the whole arson, really

(Mipha): But the more they add onto it, it seems like it just keeps getting bigger.

(Daruk): That is how addition works

(Zelda): That isn't what she meant and you know it

(Daruk): I'm just teasing!

(Daruk): I know what you're saying though. I mean, it seems like everyone on campus has an opinion

(Zelda): What do you all think about it?

(Urbosa): You know what I think. I know my cousin too well.

(Mipha): I don't want to think the worst of them, but... The email made it sound like they had a pretty strong eyewitness.

(Link): hold on I haven't ready the email

(Zelda): It's really long read it later

(Link): K

(Daruk): As a guy who's been on a football team, I know how dumb things can get, and... Look, it's 100% plausible

(Zelda): I agree with Daruk. Plausible, but I won't say set in stone, you know?

(Zelda): but I will say Urbosa's opinion makes me want to avoid the football team

(Link): Zel

(Link): you already avoid the football team

(Zelda): And?

(Link): Fair point.

(Zelda): What about you, Link?

(Link): well I'm currently here with Gan's boyfriend who's saying he definitely didn't do it but he might just be in denial

(Link): and I also trust Urbosa

(Link): so...

Ghirahim seemed to have gotten bored with the conversation around the room, and was currently walking back over to where Link was, swaying ever so slightly. His hair wasn't quite combed perfectly, either. His jacket was a little askew.

(Link): gotta go he's coming back over

(Zelda): Yikes

(Zelda): good luck

Before he could say anything about it, Link tucked his phone away, back into his pocket. 

"Wait, no! Take it back out again." Ghirahim told him, pulling out his own phone to take a picture. "The lighting in here is... Lacking, to say the least, but there's something interesting in the framing of the wall behind you from this angle... There. See?"

The photo was... A picture of Link. He failed to see what interest there was to it, really, but apparently Ghirahim had seen something special. He didn't usually like pictures of himself, though, and this one was no exception.

Link smiled. "It is pretty cool."

"Isn't it? What did I come over here for, though? I was sure that..." He trailed off, shifting his weight to his other side. "That's what it was. Oops."

"What?"

"Oh, no. I'm so sorry."

"What is it?"

Thoughts were racing through his head at a million miles an hour. What was that supposed to mean? Had there been someone else involved? Was there something going on? Link's heart was beating fast. He wiped off his sweaty hands on his hoodie.

"Well, you see..." Ghirahim paused, glancing around the room. "Let's go somewhere more... Private, yeah? I have something to show you."


	40. Forty

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ghirahim shows Link something he was intending to earlier, explaining everything... From his point of view.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some of y'alls comments make me laugh so hard, I am blessed so much, thank you <3

December 2

(Link)

"I have something to show you."

Link could barely contain his thoughts, shaking nervously as Ghirahim led him away to a quieter corner of the Gaepora Building, clasping and unclasping his sweaty hands as he walked. He kept waiting for him to say something, but, oddly out of character, Ghirahim kept his mouth shut. He just kept walking, saying nothing all along the way. They ended up tucked away in an alcove by one of the classrooms, not really very far, but certainly hidden from the view of their photography club.

Anxiously glancing behind him, he wondered if anyone would notice that they were gone.

But, heart pounding, thoughts racing, he needed to know what Ghirahim was about to say, what he could have meant by that cryptic 'I'm sorry' earlier. Sure, Ghirahim had a flair for the dramatic, but that was just... Weird, for lack of a better term. No one did things like that. At all. No matter how quirky they thought they were. Yeah, maybe he was acting weird because of the whole Gan thing, but this was pretty strange.

Ghirahim cleared his throat, breaking the silence. "Earlier, when I was flipping through my pictures, I was reminded of something that I had wanted to show you earlier, but I had forgotten about. I really am sorry, I know you two had gotten close again..."

Link frowned, brows knitting together. "Ghira, what's going on?"

"Well, I was-" He stopped, the fished his phone out of his pocket. "You know what? It's easier if I show you."

The picture he showed him was...

Link's heart felt like it froze in his chest. He took the phone, trying to get a better look. It looked like it was...

Revali?

And Ganondorf Dragmire.

It was dark outside when the picture was taken, but the two were still clearly visible. They were standing together, and...

They were in the doorway of one of the houses on campus, Gan standing on the inside, his face obscured by the light behind him, but his posture looking stiff and uncomfortable. Revali faced away from the camera, but...

He swallowed. With Revali, that didn't mean you got any less expression out of him.

From the angle of his body, his coat, Link's red hat he was wearing, he was looking up at Ganondorf, his entirety angled up to face him. His legs were at shoulder width, his right foot a little behind him. Not the strongest stance, but he looked far more stable in that photo than he had since the car accident by far.

But it was his arms...

Because Revali talked with his hands. Not as much when he was comfortable, when he was just chatting, but... It was something he most certainly did. And it wasn't hard to tell how he was feeling, or what he was talking about, just by watching his hands.

And Link swore in this photo he must have been screaming.

One hand was up, closer to shoulder level, the one more hidden from view, but the other one? That arm had to have been tense, all of his fingers splayed, arm technically by his side, but looking ready to attack.

That posture, the stance, the way Gan stood in the doorway looking like he was taking a step backwards-

He swallowed. "Tell me what happened. When did you take this?"

"Last night." Ghirahim sighed, flipping through more photos like the first; his arms told a story of yelling, of exasperated anger. "It was... I suppose I really should start at the beginning, shouldn't I?"

Link couldn't take his eyes off the photos. At how in each one, Revali looked so angry. 

Why would he have been there? What reason did he have to show up at Gan's house after dark? 

Was he stalking him?

Ghirahim cleared his throat, and Link handed him back his phone. "Thank you. You see, I don't know where to begin, really, because it seems odd for me to be where I was - but you trust that I wasn't being creepy, right Link?"

He nodded.

"Good. Well, and I guess that played into it too, come to think of it... Revali showed up at the coffee shop, right at the end of my shift. He wasn't... Nasty, per se, but it was... Odd, you know?"

"Like last time?"

"Stranger." Ghirahim shivered, the corner of his mouth twisting into a frown. "But then again, he's a strange thing, isn't he? He came in, left his coat on for a long time at first, and just stared straight at me with death in his eyes. Death or murder. I swore he was going to do something; I was starting to regret the fact that we never follow the technical code of having two employees in the shop at all times."

Link tipped his head to the side. "But... Really?"

Last time things had been tense between the two of them, and the blank, far off look Revali had in his eyes didn't go away for hours, but he wouldn't have described any of it as murderous. If anything, he just looked lost. So what was Revali doing now?

Why was he at the coffee shop?

Why did he end up at Gan's door?

And did Link really want to know?

"Really." Ghirahim insisted, startling him back. "He was acting strange. But he came in, took off his coat once I reminded him it was possible to do such things, made a little small talk... Kept staring, though. His eyes are so creepy. He left his sunglasses on, too-"

"He was in a car accident; he had a concussion. That's why he left the glasses on." Link explained. "But... I don't know why he would have gone to the coffee shop. That's... really far for him to have walked on his own. Was anyone with him?" 

Ghirahim shook his head. "No. Not a soul. That's part of why it was so weird; he probably wouldn't care either way if he was drinking terrible common room coffee or something better than that. I'd never seen him in there alone before, and neither had any of my coworkers."

"Yeah..."

"Anyway. He wasn't just staring at me, though; he was checking the time, staring off into space... I got the impression that he was headed somewhere, or that he might be late for something. When I asked him, he gave a vague answer about being on a mission. But he payed, tipped, and left." He shrugged. "I was put on edge by the whole affair, but my shift was over, so I closed up the coffee shop, and I headed out to Gan's."

"And that's where you saw him." Link finished, trying to jump to the end. "Did you figure out what he was doing there? Did Gan tell you anything?"

"I'll get there in a moment. So impatient." Ghirahim rolled his eyes, running a hand through his hair. "Anyway, I had to walk, since my car is still being repaired, so it took me a while to get to Gan's house in the first place. It's so miserably cold out, I was rushing to get back; but when I got there, Revali was at the door, talking to him. Well, yelling, I should say. Screaming, almost. I couldn't hear about what, over the wind. Something about a car is all that I heard, but I didn't pick up on any context. Gan had no clue what he was saying, I don't think; he sounded crazy."

"That doesn't sound..." He was going to say it didn't sound right, but the photos didn't lie. "Did Gan say anything about it?"

"He didn't want to talk about it."

Link blinked. "Strange... Do you know why?"

"Because someone just randomly showed up at his house and started yelling at him, probably. Gan's always been more laid back than he presents around people; he would much rather just relax, not worry himself too much about conflict... Which is why I did what I did next."

"Ghira, what did you do?"

"It sounds bad now, but in the moment, I am telling you, it was completely justified." He assured him, glancing at his nails. "If you had seen the angry way Revali stormed off, you would have followed him too. I was making sure that he wasn't going to harm anyone. With the whole stalking thing, then actually showing up at Gan's house - it was just too far."

Link sighed. "Just... Just keep going."

"So I convinced Gan to let me borrow his truck and followed him - you'll be pleased to know I didn't hit anything - back to the student center. Then he had a conversation with one of the ladies at the front desk there and just left. He went straight back to your dorm building, and I went back to Gan's. Not long after that, the police showed up to do their lineup."

"Wait, what do you...?"

"What do I think?" Ghirahim's eyes gleamed. "I think that the coffee shop was just a stop on his way over to Gan's house, honestly, and he wasn't expecting me to be working there; that's why he was acting so strangely. But it was so cold, he needed something warm. A shot of espresso to keep him awake. Then after that? Maybe he got it into his head Gan hit his car or something. I don't know. But if he has a concussion, maybe it could explain that."

Link frowned. "He has been forgetting things, but he doesn't-"

"But Link, tell me." He clutched Link's shoulders in his hands, nails digging through his hoodie. "Was he here? When the fire started?"

"I - he couldn't have started it."

Ghirahim laughed, maintaining his grip. "Well Gan didn't, and he's the prime suspect right now... Right after someone who doesn't like him yelled at him, then talked to a member of school faculty."

"Look, I don't think he did it." Link maintained. "Now let go of me."

"Sorry."

"I'll ask... When he got here, okay? When did the building burn down?"

"August twenty sixth." Ghirahim shrugged. "It was the week that I got here; I arrived that next Saturday."

"And I wasn't here until..." Link's brows furrowed as he tried to remember. "A couple days later. But Revali had already been here a bit when I got here."

"Well, you ask him, okay?" He smiled. "Anyway, we should probably go join the rest of the club again, shouldn't we?"

"Yeah... Probably."

"Well then, let's go!"

And while Ghirahim walked on ahead like nothing had happened, Link found himself lagging back. Of course, its always when everything seems like it's perfect...

The most frustrating part was, that, really, he could settle parts of it right now, but he knew that he wouldn't be able to. His stomach was rolling. Heart pounding. Hands sweaty. Mouth dry, dizzy, legs shaking. He couldn't face Revali like this, and he knew it. Not even to clear his name.

What kind of friend was he?

And as the other members of the photography club milled about, some starting to leave, some going a little later still, taking photos and chatting, he found himself unable to move. It was like every step he took was robotic. Icy cold.

He pulled out a chair at one of the desks, sitting down ever so slowly.

His eyes watched the room, just taking it all in.

And there was a girl over there with a shirt the color of Revali's eyes, so he had to look away. But the other direction, there was a photo shoot where the subject had his poise, his disposition like...

Like a champion.

Like he couldn't be defeated.

Feet planted firmly on the ground, one back that little bit. Steady. 

Why was he there in the first place?

What was he doing?

Link's heart seized in his chest.

A boy with blue hair - too light to be like his was - laughed.

If only he could ask.

If only.

If only.


	41. Forty One

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Revali notices something going on with Link, and Link tries to sort out who he believes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A little late in the day - I had a Christmas play I was in tonight! So whatever you celebrate, or if you don't, hope you have a great time <3

December 3

(Revali)

Something was going on with Link.

He thought he wouldn't notice; yeah, he definitely thought he was being sneaky, but it was plain as day. He wasn't eating right, he was barely sleeping at all, he hadn't showered in close to a week, if not more-

It was a full on breakdown, and Revali couldn't figure it out.

Everything seemed to be going fine. Every time that he asked, he said it was great, if was all good, everything was just peachy... Or, worse, he would deflect the question and make it about him.   
Which, to be be fair, he did see like he should have been the one at the breaking point. It was Saturday the eighth - only eleven days away from his first finals - and with everything going on, the concussion, still not moving around properly, and everything with Gan...

But he couldn't focus on that right now. He had to focus on himself.

And Link. Who wouldn't admit anything was wrong.

Revali groaned, slapping his pencil down on his desk. No, he couldn't be so focused on Link. He had to...

Who was he kidding? This wasn't letting up anytime soon. He had been infatuated with Link the moment he laid eyes on him, greasy hair, baggy hoodies and all. There was a life, an unbridled kind of joy to him that just...

He really was like the outdoors he enjoyed photographing so much. So bright, and wild, and in so many ways free, but also so complex and so much more. 

And apparently, there was something going on. 

It was more than stress, because they dealt with that at midterms, and Link managed things so much differently. In a lot of ways, he handled it better than Revali did. He studied, overate when he did, then didn't stress too much about it. Compared to Revali, who over analyzed everything constantly and studied everything to the point of exhaustion?

Yeah, his grades were better, and that was what he valued, but Link valued his health, and he usually came out of exams doing pretty well... If they got ice cream once or twice, that was just a given.

Well, he usually valued his health. Right now...

Revali swallowed. Right now, they were both struggling. But that was life, right? And he couldn't explain what was going on with him, so how could he expect Link to explain what was going on with him?

So... He would just have to give it time, and hope that it all panned out okay.

Just right now, he was worried. Worrying never helped anything, but... He was worried.

***

December 9

(Link)

It was Sunday again, and Link had only gotten one step closer to figuring out this whole mess... And of course, that one step hadn't even included talking to Revali.

During the week he really had tried to muster his courage and talk to him, but nothing felt right. How were you supposed to ask that, anyway?

Hey, did you set a building on fire?

Were you actually stalking someone, like everyone thought and accused you of?

Why were you at Gan's house on the night of December first?

And what did Gan have to do with the car accident?

Why did you say that you were on a mission?

Was Ghirahim lying about what happened?

If so, what were you yelling at Gan about?

Are you okay?

It had all just piled up so fast, and... Link didn't want to burden Revali with it. Already, he was a stressed out mess over finals, even when they were still two weeks away and more. He was always studying something, writing something, working on this or that...

But he left his planner out on his desk, open to a page marked with more scripted cursive than Link could make sense of. A perfect opportunity...

So he had flipped back the pages to August, looking for a date marked down (hopefully a little clearer) as the one he got to campus. It just had to be after August twenty sixth. It had to be; he knew it. 

Revali was a lot of things, but he wasn't an arsonist. 

"Hello, Link." Ghirahim laid a hand on his shoulder, thoroughly startling him. "You didn't text me at all, this week; figure anything out?"

"August twenty-seventh." Link signed, shaking his head. "He couldn't have been the one who set the fire; he was still in Alaska. He got there a day later."

"And Gan is still in police custody." He slumped. "Well, thanks for trying."

"...yeah."

Link recognized it for what it was: a desperate attempt to regain control of the situation... And Ghirahim looked pretty matched to that. His clothes were all matched and coordinated like they normally were, but it looked more like his crisp slacks had spent a night getting wrinkly on the floor, his socks weren't quite the same argyle, and things like that. His hair was a little messy. His eyeliner was probably the same as yesterday's, just cleaned up a little with more added on. There were chips in his manicure from where he'd been picking at the polish.

"Anything else?"

Link shook his head. "I don't even think I've taken any photos. I might just head back to my dorm."

He shrugged. "Well, you should probably check, at the very least."

He had taken a couple of pictures, both of Mipha. The lights just caught on her piercings, reflecting beautifully; her face wasn't quite as well framed, but it was a nice shot nonetheless.

Still, the pictures of Revali in the hospital bed seemed to haunt him. 

"Well, if you plan on leaving, I suppose I shouldn't keep you." Ghirahim pouted. "Goodbye, Link... Stay safe."

"I will."

"I think you know what I mean." He frowned, picking at his chipped nails. "Just because someone isn't an arsonist, doesn't mean they aren't dangerous."

And that was it.

Link was tired of it. All of the little things, the belittling language, overstepping his physical boundaries, disrespecting Revali at every turn-

That was the last straw.

Blood rushed in his ears. His fists clenched, brows knitting into a tight line, heart pounding in his chest.

"You know what, Ghirahim? No."

He blinked, taking a step back. "What?"

"No." Link gritted his teeth. "Revali is a good person. He's hard working, and quiet, and yeah, he's a little awkward, and definitely a stubborn ass, and I don't know what the hell is going on, but I know one thing for sure: he isn't a bad person. Leave him alone."

"I am leaving him alone." Ghirahim spat. "He's the one stalking my boyfriend-"

"According to who?"

"What are you-" He clamped his mouth shut. "You watch yourself, Link. You'd do best to keep your accusations to yourself."

With that, Ghirahim turned on his heel, stalked away and disappeared.

***

December 10

Monday morning, bright and early, Link was giving Revali a ride to his eight thirty stats class. He was doing better, for certain; but he still didn't want him walking around campus on his own.

Though, apparently he had been doing quite a bit of walking...

But as soon as Link thought about that, it was like he was silenced again. He hadn't been able to talk to him about it last night, and from the looks of it, he would be able to talk to him later today, either. It was just so... 

None of it seemed to make sense.

Maybe he needed to ask Zelda, or Daruk, or Urbosa to ask him, but that didn't seem right either. It shouldn't have been hard. It really shouldn't have been.

But he watched him shuffle away, another opportunity, gone, just like that.

***

December 11

(Revali)

(Paya): You know Impa?

That was an odd text to get in the morning, but Revali was more weirded out by it than anything.

(Revali): Yeah, why?

Things had been... Okay, since Saturday. Just picking up the pieces, taking care of Link, trying to get it all out back together - only, Link still wasn't acknowledging that there was even something going on, which made it trickier...

(Paya): She told me to update you on the arson situation

(Paya): "Everyone agrees, it's obvious that they're guilty, and him most of all." That's what she told me to tell you

He swallowed.

(Revali): Thank you, Paya. That means a lot

(Paya): I'm glad to pass on the message, in any case then... though it's weird that my grandma is having me text my friend

(Paya): Are you free to study later?

(Revali): I'd be free around lunch? Or my Lit class gets out around four

(Paya): Let's try to work something out then

(Revali): Sounds good

With that, he slid his phone back into his pocket and finished getting his things together. Getting ready didn't take so long when he didn't do his hair, or when he wasn't putting so much effort into his makeup. It was... 

Tiring. He hated it. It all felt draining and horrible and like he was falling to pieces. Just trying to find bits of normalcy in it all was exhausting.

But at the same time... He was starting to pick himself back up. The rides from Link - he didn't feel like such a burden, anymore; that time together, even when it was spent in silence, just felt natural between them. 

Even with what was going on with him. Maybe what he needed was just someone to be there.

...though it probably was preferred on Tuesday mornings like this one, where his class was at ten instead of eight thirty.

"Ready to go?"

Link nodded, grabbing his car keys and heading out the door.

"Just got a text from Paya." Revali commented, leaning heavily on the handrail as they made their way down the stairs, but not so bad as before. "She's pretty much sure the students they took into custody are guilty... the ones involved in the arson?"

His eyes went wide. "Ghirahim will be shocked to hear that."

"I'm sure he will. The real question is just whether they'll convict... him or not."

Because, in the back of Revali's mind, he knew the answer to that.

***

December 12

(Link)

Gan is most likely guilty.

It didn't really shock him; that's what Link had expected from when he heard about the arrest. But what did surprise him was how Revali talked about it.

His voice seemed to stumble on the word 'him', like he just couldn't say it without the word getting stuck in his throat. And that was another thing, too: Gan wasn't the only member of the football team arrested. There were four other boys arrested, one of whom was let go but the others all likely going to be taken to court.

But Gan was the only one that mattered to him.

But even the replacement to his name froze on his lips.

Needless to say, Wednesday morning was a quiet one for taking him to his first class.

***

It was in between stats and English, and Link finally felt... Not ready, but not like all the air had rushed out of his lungs, either.

He wasn't prepared for the answers, but... The least he could do was ask the questions. Because he needed to know.

"Revali, can I ask you something?" He asked, after he had hopped into his car.

"Sure. Go ahead."

"No, I mean..." Link swallowed. "And promise you won't..."

"Get angry?" Revali raised an eyebrow. "I can't make any promises. I'm allowed to feel things, Link... But I won't take it out on you, even so."

"...alright." He sighed, then sucked in another breath. "What happened between you and Ganondorf?"

And just like that, he froze completely. "W-what do you mean?"

"Last Saturday."

Immediately, all of the tension fell from Revali's shoulders... Then he stiffened again. "I... Had to talk to him. Just something that needed to be addressed."

Link raised an eyebrow. "There are pictures that make it look like you're screaming at him."

"Pictures?" His eyes went wide. "Who... Ghirahim."

Nodding, he started him to back the car out of their parking spot.

"He... It's nothing, Link." Revali swallowed, shaking his head. "You don't need to worry about it."

But his voice... His voice said otherwise, even though they remained silent for the rest of the drive.

***

The air in Link and Revali's dorm after class was tense after class, to say the least, not even lessened by having everyone else in there. Link was regretting asking, now, with how he was staring, how he was breaking down...

It was like Ghirahim had described in the coffee shop, but there was no murder in those eyes. No, he looked like-

"Vali, you okay?" Daruk whispered, wrapping an arm around him.

Revali blinked, then, slowly, nodded. "Fine. I'm..."

"You don't really seem fine."

He frowned. "Well, I'm alright. My turn for practicing speeches?"

Mipha nodded. "Mine does lead into yours."

Revali stood up, and... His was great. There were a couple of rough spots, and he moved his arms weird, but his part of the presentation was really good. Link was starting to get nervous, knowing that it Revali's part would lead into his...

"Well," Revali cleared his throat. "I have a couple of different transitions; depending on how I... we'll see which one I use, shall we?"

Zelda shrugged. "I don't have one, so I suppose that's fair."

It was unlike Revali to be so unprepared. If he was holding it back, there had to be a reason, right?

Link frowned as he stood up, looking at his page of notes, but not actually reading them. What could that mean? 

And still - what was going on with Revali?

What happened with him and Gan?


	42. Forty Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Revali makes an important call.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Only three more chapters??? Holy shit, man I can't believe-

December 15

(Revali)

Saturday couldn't have come soon enough for Revali. Sure, it meant getting closer to the dreaded finals week, but at the same time...

Getting rides from Link had gone from being one of his favorite things, to being the most unbearable silence he had ever felt, every day. 

And it broke his heart.

There was no way to explain everything that had happened to him. It was just too... There was too much there over too long of a period of time, and if he told him now it would seem like he had been lying for so long when really he was just saving face. Which, he supposed, was lying, but... That was another deal. 

And that was besides the threats.

Because when Link had asked what had happened with him and Gan, it terrified him. He had already admitted it too much, too often, who was to say something worse wasn't going to happen if he said it again? That he wasn't going to die for real? That the next car that hit him would finish the job? 

Or something worse?

But then Link clarified that he meant what happened with Gan Saturday. A week ago. When he went out on his little mission, as Ghirahim called it, went out and faced his fears, talked to Ganondorf. 

But he couldn't admit what happened there, either; he couldn't admit what he said, what Gan said back, what all went down that dark, windy evening Ghirahim snapped photos of that no doubt made him look like the villain. Because of course they did. He wanted to see those photos, but he couldn't... He couldn't ask Link. He could just imagine.

And why was he still friends with Ghirahim?

Revali sighed, flopping down on his bed and wincing at the throbbing pain in his head, the stabbing pain in his ribs. He'd gotten to the point now where he could walk normally, he could breathe fairly decently, take off the sunglasses sometimes, but of course the car accident was still following him, keeping him from living completely normally. 

The attempt on his life.

What kind of story was this?

Revali couldn't help but laugh, shaking his head at himself, glad that Link wasn't in the room. At the beginning of the year, if he could see what would happen if he came here, would he still have done it? Come halfway across the country, scared and alone no matter what he was pretending? This was the best school he could afford, and he was here on a full ride scholarship, essentially, but this? This was a high price to pay for an education.

And he was surprised to find, that...

He missed home. He missed his family. He missed Teba, and Saki, and Tulin, more than those awful couple of photos could help. If anything, they were making him lonelier. He had been wearing his own Christmas sweater more than he would like to admit, at the risk of looking like he enjoyed the holiday far more than he did, but not caring one bit. 

It had been too long.

With a sigh, Revali glanced at the door, then pulled himself up to his feet again to check that it was locked. Grabbing his phone, he pulled up his contacts and dialed.

Fuck it, you know? He wasn't protecting anyone, anymore. If he died, it would hurt Link. It would hurt Daruk, and Urbosa, and Mipha, and Zelda, and Paya. He couldn't pretend it wouldn't - so how could he pretend it wouldn't hurt his family if he ignored them?

The dial tone made his heart throb in his chest, rising in the back of his throat. 

Fearless... But he was afraid. And that was okay.

"Hello?" Teba's voice answered, and he almost started to cry.

"Don't pretend you don't know it's me." Revali scoffed, looking upwards, trying to blink the tears out of his eyes. "Hello, Teba. Is anyone else home?"

"Wow, you don't want to talk to me?"

"Of course not, you surly old man. Who ever wants to talk to the likes of you?"

Teba tried, and failed, to disguise a laugh in a cough. "Yeah, Saki's home, too. Tulin's napping right now, but he might wake up in a bit."

"What's that about waking up Tulin?" Saki's muffled voice asked. "Who is that?"

"Revali." Teba answered.

"He called us?"

"Don't sound so surprised." Revali commented, but the more that he thought about it...

He really hadn't called. Or texted. Or sent any mail beyond that first letter. Or contacted them in any way, really. He wasn't exactly the best at keeping a conversation going.

With anyone, come to think of it. Guilt set in, weighing him down where he stood. He was a terrible child, only ever calling when he needed something, or when he was having a dilemma...

Well, he was doing it on purpose, but they didn't know that. They couldn't understand why he was doing it.

"Put him on speaker, you ass." Saki demanded. "I want to talk to him too, you know."

"Yeah, yeah... How do you do that?"

The sound of the phone being fumbled followed, and Revali couldn't help but smile a little bit. 

Yeah, he was an ass, but that didn't mean they didn't still want to talk to him.

"Alright, you're on speaker phone." Teba alerted him. "So... What's going on, kiddo?"

He almost reflexively answered, 'Nothing much,' before catching himself. 

"Honestly?" Revali chuckled joylessly. "It's been... Really hard."

"How so? What's going on?"

"I'll..." He swallowed. 

There was no way anyone could know what he said in his own dorm, no one could know if he told Teba and Saki, but...

How could he tell them about what happened with Gan this last Saturday, if he didn't tell him about the car accident? And he couldn't tell them about that if he didn't tell him about what happened with Gan in September...

And so much of what had been happening with Link was dependent on the car accident-

No. They broke up after he got paranoid about Gan, and everything going on there. They were brought back together by the car accident, after he tried to report it. 

But he couldn't explain. He couldn't. It was all so complicated it was starting to give him a headache.

"I'll explain more when I come home this summer." Revali decided. "But... My grades are good?"

Saki clicked her tongue. "Honey, if that's what you're clinging to, how bad is everything else?"

"Not that bad." He assured her, squeezing his eyes shut. "No, that did make it sound worse. Um, it's... Uh... Not great. But not terrible right at the moment?"

"What the hell does that mean?"

"Teba!" Saki most likely elbowed him. "You can explain as much, or as little, as you like."

"I mentioned the group project that I'm on, right?" Revali reminded. "The massive one?"

"Yeah?"

"Well, I would say that I'm friends with everyone on it, which is good. Better than last time I talk to you, right?" He explained. "But the one guy... I don't know how to explain it."

"The one you can't stand, or the one you like the most?"

"The one I was dating earlier in the year." Revali clarified. "And it wasn't like he was bad or anything-"

"Ahh." Teba hummed. "So you fucked it up."

"Teba!"

"No, I really did." He agreed, sitting down on the bed. "I... There was something else going on with me, earlier on in the semester. Still going on. Fuck, it's... It's complicated."

"So you broke up with him?" She asked.

"I... Yeah." Revali sighed, shoulders slumping. "I might have told him to leave me alone, to stay away from me, to stop being so concerned..."

Teba grunted. "Revali?"

"Yeah?" 

"Are you okay?" 

"...better now?" Revali said, but it sounded more like a question. "I mean... Things aren't good, I wouldn't say. But I'm doing alright."

"Because you come before any boy." Saki reminded, and he could practically see the pointed look she gave Teba. "Alright? Don't worry a bit about him if you're in a bad place yourself."

"I'm... No, I think I'm doing okay." He nodded. "I do better when I'm around him, I think. But... The problem is that he doesn't know what happened earlier in the year."

"Does he need to know?"

Revali blinked. He hadn't even considered that; it was always just concealing the information from Link, or when they were dating knowing that he would have to tell him eventually. But...

"There are parts, at least, that he should know." Revali decided, thinking about the Saturday confrontation. "And to do that... It would make the most sense to just let it all go... Especially if I plan to date him again."

"Do you?" Saki asked. "Because that could get... Complicated. I know that works for some people-"

"We broke up and got back together several times." Teba clarified.

"Thanks, hon." She scoffed. "But I mean it. You need to not only be able to trust him, you need to want to trust him."

"I do want to trust him." Revali defended. "I just... I'm just scared."

"What are you scared of?"

He could think of a million and one answers, flying off his head all at once so quickly that Teba's question felt laughable. But, the more he broke it down...

"I'm afraid he'll reject me, I guess." He answered simply, staring down at the dirty dorm room floor. "He'll see a side of me, or something about me he hadn't before, and... I mean, I broke up with him. I hurt him. I was cruel, and mean, and, and..."

Revali swallowed, shaking his head.

Saki sighed. "Revali..."

"He shouldn't love me. He really shouldn't."

"But does he?" She asked. "I don't want an answer to that right now; put some thought into that over the next few days. Can you see that he loves you in what he does still? In how he talks to you? Because that's more of what love is than boxes of chocolates and dinner dates."

Revali took a deep breath. "Yeah. That... That makes sense."

Teba hummed. "And since when have you done things based on fear?"

"Teba..."

"I'm serious." He probably frowned, his bushy brows drawing into a tight line. "Where's my champion's attitude? How would he approach this?"

"Fearless." Revali whispered, sitting up a little straighter. "His reaction doesn't change anything."

"Exactly. Get your head screwed on straight, Apollo. Finals seem to be getting it off a little bit."

"Teba." Saki probably rolled her eyes, lightly batting at his arm. "You're doing so well, just... keep your priorities straight."

"I'd like to think I'm doing pretty well at that part." He pointed out, fiddling with the edge of his sweater with his free hand. "After all, my grades are next to perfect."

"Just finals to go, huh?"

Revali sighed, leaning back against the wall. "Exactly... And..."

"And what?" Teba asked. "Is there something else weird going on?"

"No, it's-" he shook his head. "It's not something with my schoolwork. It doesn't actually affect me in any, let's just say practical way. But..."

"But it obviously does affect you; you're mentioning it." Saki pointed out. "So... What is it?"

"There were a few students arrested about..." Revali frowned. "I couldn't say when it was. One of the dorm buildings- I mentioned that, right?"

"The possible arson?" Teba guessed. "Oh yeah. So it was students?"

Saki snorted. "Sounds like something you would have gotten into back then, darling."

He grumbled, but said nothing.

"Anyway," Revali cleared his throat. "One of the students involved is... A bad person. He did this, and he deserves to serve time for this too, but I know for a fact that there's another crime that he had committed, and he..."

"He won't have to pay for it." Teba finished. "And this isn't - I'm not assuming it is - this isn't something petty either? I mean, burning a building is pretty serious, but..."

He swallowed. "It's... Pretty serious."

"You're just worried about the outcome?" Saki assumed.

"Yeah." Revali breathed, glancing over at the window, then at the door. "He's... The kind of guy who could get away with murder around here."

She hummed. "All we can do is hope."

"Yeah. You can say that again."

Because there really wasn't a thing he could do. He couldn't change the past, he couldn't make sure he had to pay for what he did to him, but... This was something. At the very least, it was something. 

"But... You can't base everything on that outcome. Shit happens, you know? And if he goes free..." Teba trailed off.

"I understand." Revali nodded. "I honestly don't know what to expect. Because I do believe he did this, but..."

"Just don't fall apart if that verdict doesn't come back right."

" I know." He sighed, sinking further into his bed. "And that could be years away - I don't know his long these things take."

"Exactly." Teba agreed. "Just... Keep focus on what matters."

"What matters being grades and not cute boys, right Saki?"

Saki sighed, likely shaking her head. "Right."

"And family." He added, sitting back up again. "I... Really dropped off the map there for a while, and... I wanted to... Apologize."

"We're just glad you're talking to us again now."

"Answer your phone." Teba growled. "We got worried you were dead for a while."

All of the calls Revali had ignored flashed through his head. How many were threat, how many were family?

"...right. Sorry."

"It's alri-"

"Mom!" Tulin's voice shrieked, apparently awake from his nap.

"Tulin! You're still supposed to be asleep, silly goose."

Tulin giggled, and Revali couldn't help but laugh. It had been so long since he had seen them all, and...

"I miss you all so much." He admitted, swallowing his pride.

Teba hummed. "Well, isn't that-"

"Sib?" Tulin interrupted, followed by a rush of noise that could only be him grabbing at the phone.

Saki chuckled. "You want to talk to your Sib for a bit, Tulin?"

"Yeah, yeah!"

Revali smiled. "Just don't let him run off with the phone. Remember that one time?"

"Oh, do we." Teba grumbled. 

"We'll keep a close eye on him." Saki assured him. "Love you, in case he hangs up before we get to talk to you again."

"Love you." Teba added on as well.

Revali took a deep breath.

"Love you too."


	43. Forty Three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Link and Revali don't speak, as the presentation gets closer and closer...

December 15

(Link)

As much as humanly possible, Link avoided their dorm room like the plague. It was just so... Too...

He didn't know how to explain it, other than the fact that he had ruined a very delicate balance. Revali was growing and healing and getting back on his own two feet, but Link? He felt like he was skittering and sliding and falling on his ass without him. 

Needing Revali wasn't ever something he had considered, and...

No, he didn't need him. That wasn't how it worked. But... He sure as hell didn't want to go on without him. He didn't want to start next semester without him. Because he didn't even really want to go to college, but with friends here, with Revali? It was... It was nice.

Except what he had done.

Because now, everything was wrong between them. Revali was quiet and still, and he was... Much the same, if he was honest. He didn't want to push it. 

No one wanted to be the one to fuck it up completely.

So here they were, walking on eggshells, avoiding each other to the extreme.

...even if that wasn't what Link wanted to do at all.

***

December 16

(Revali)

Link stayed the night at Zelda's dorm Saturday night, claiming that he just fell asleep when they were studying, but it felt like he was actively trying to stay away.

Saki's words rang in his head. Did he love him? Did he show it? Was it honest?

Whatever it was, it made his heart - and his head - hurt.

***

(Link)

Ghirahim wasn't at their photography club's final meeting for the semester, and it was honestly such a relief to not have to deal with him in person that Link didn't stop to consider why. He had never missed a meeting before... That he remembered.

But he wasn't focused on that. For once he was focused on one thing: photography.

Except, he wasn't just focused on one thing. He was stuck thinking about how the light through this window would make Revali's eyelashes look so soft against his skin, bringing out all of the cool undertones, a kind of melancholy depth. Or how his eyes would look, framed by this plant, in an extreme close-up shot so that's all the viewer could see. The intensity of the greens, playing off of each other...

How he would look, standing in a pure white room, dressed simply in dark clothing, shooting a bow and arrow of gold. How he would look eyes wide portrait shot framed symmetrically, like the cover of To Kill a Mockingbird sticking out of his bag, the lighting soft and sweet. How he would look perched on the edge of a chair, green eyes looking off camera at some unseen evil-

A million ideas flowed through his head, Revali in every single one. And every photo he took looked incomplete without him.

***

(Revali)

As Revali wrote, and rewrote, and rewrote the transition for his presentation part of the English project, panic was starting to set in. 

Was this too far? 

This was something he could get in trouble for. Not with faculty, but... There were certainly students that could take issue with it. Ghirahim's eyes just kept flashing through his head. Were there football players in that class, he wondered? Cheerleaders? Fans?

It doesn't matter, Revali reminded himself, putting his shaky hand back to the paper. Since when have you done things based on fear?

Since forever. What was he best at? Running. That was all he seemed to do when a challenge presented itself: he ran. In his nightmares just the same as reality. He toughened himself up for the moment, then got the hell out of wherever he was. If he messed up around someone? He just conveniently avoided them. 

But he couldn't avoid Link.

No, that wasn't true.

The semester was almost over. If he wanted to ghost him, he could. Get a new dorm, cut ties with all their mutual friends, pretend nothing ever happened; it wouldn't even be that hard.

He glanced over at the other side of the room, at the cartoon characters and bright colors that made him feel so empty for so long. All of that could be gone in just a few days. 

Just a few days.

***

December 19

(Link)

(Revali): I can get myself to English

(Link): u sure? It's no trouble

(Revali): I'm good, thanks.

The day of the English final had rolled around, and Revali was still acting... Cold. Well, he had been ever since he asked about Gan, but...

For a moment there, over the weekend, he had seemed a little happier with him. Certainly not avoiding, or hiding, or anything like Link was. Which, admittedly, made him feel guilty. But when he texted Zelda about that earlier-

(Zelda): You offended him, and now you're avoiding him. Maybe you're guilty bc you're wrong?

(Zelda): You need to talk to him.

(Link): he doesn't want to talk

(Zelda): Just get the conversation going. Don't let him get away

Don't let him get away. Those words were still echoing in Link's head, even now. He needed them to not be; he needed English presentations to be echoing in his head. To Kill a Mockingbird. 

Unfortunately, that didn't seem to work. He'd much rather keep all his focus on Revali. 

But with the recent developments with Gan...

Curiosity was close to getting the better of him, at this point, when it came to talking to him... But only when asking about Gan. Link had heard the news's side: Football Star Sentenced to Near Nothing in College Arson Case. The sentencing deal he made was really good, and a good case was apparently made by his lawyer, too; he wouldn't even be failing this semester of classes. Apparently.

...and he had heard Ghirahim's side, about how he wasn't nearly as guilty as if made him seem, on and on. Link had started tuning him out at this point. Befriending him was one of the more stupid things he had done this semester, and maintaining that friendship was even worse. It was a wonder, after he defended Revali, that Ghirahim still texted him.

Maybe he was trying to prove a point. Link didn't know.

But he didn't know Revali's side, and that was bothering him from a completion standpoint. He wanted to know the truth. He wanted Revali's story, to hear him tell it in that lovely voice, to explain everything that's been so confusing all year...

Of course, he couldn't expect that. That just wasn't realistic. Because right now? Right now he could expect Revali to show up at their English final and do his part, to see him in the dorm occasionally, and nothing else after. That was realistic.

And it left a pit in his chest just to think about.

***

Revali was already there when Link got to Building C, chatting with Mipha, his eyes glued to his index cards. They were, of course, perfectly notated, with bullet points and everything going over everything he had to address with The Great Gatsby, comparing it and contrasting it to the other books, going over the theme...

He looked so prepared, too. Link couldn't help but stare as he walked in, eyes just drinking in what a pretty picture he made, leaning against the wall, back straight, posture perfect, just looking down so daintily... It was clear that he was nervous, but only to Link, because he knew him. If he wasn't, he wouldn't have been so dressed up. Little black heeled boots, short black skirt, and that black Christmas sweater he'd been wearing around the dorm. It was really cute, honestly - especially with the forest green scarf he had borrowed from Urbosa.

At least, he thought he recognized it as Urbosa's. Either way, the color was pretty, tying in with the tree on the sweater, and lightening up the look from the dark plum lipstick.

But he was wearing that gold eyeliner, and...

Link swallowed. It would be a tough presentation, for a lot of reasons.

"It could be worse." Mipha commented, digging out her own notes. "At least the presentation part isn't too long."

"True." Revali agreed, the corner of his lips still pulled into a frown. "But we're going last. Dead last."

"At least... We'll know what to expect?"

He shot her a look. "Then at the very least we could be second, or in the middle. I swear my heart rate is through the roof. Ridiculous."

"Someone has to go last, you know." Urbosa pointed out as she and Daruk walked in, setting down her things at an empty desk. "And this time, it just happens to be us."

Daruk snorted. "Yeah - at least we don't have a real final."

Revali shrugged. "I guess."

"Okay, we've got..." Link frowned, counting everyone on his fingers. "Where's Zelda?"

"She's just running late." Mipha explained. "She'll be here in a moment." 

His stomach turned.

"Wonder if she's in a shower." Daruk teased.

Urbosa elbowed him.

That was bad, right off the bat. What if something bad happened to her? What if she got hit by a car, or slipped on the ice, or hit her head? What if, what if, what if... There were just so many scenarios that just wouldn't quit. Sure, she could just be in the shower, but...

On a selfish, stupid, and shallow level, their presentation started with her, then it led into Daruk, then Urbosa, then Mipha, Revali, and ended with him. But Zelda interpreted for him, too - and that was different from just knowing and understanding sign fluently. She had practiced that job. 

And without her, they-

"Sorry I'm late." Zelda rushed in the door like a whirlwind, wet hair whipping around her face. "I needed a shower. Desperately."

They all shared a knowing look. Link let out a little sigh of relief.

"Alright, do we want to practice anything, since we're here early?" Daruk asked, shifting his weight from side to side. "Transitions, maybe? I know we didn't have those down, before."

"Or we didn't have those at all." Revali added with a shrug, still flipping through his notecards. "In several cases in the group, including my own."

Zelda nodded. "That's a good plan; I wrote something up last night, if I can..."

She slumped the backpack off her shoulder and began digging inside for her papers, pulling things out and setting them on the desk beside her. A small mountain of paperwork and various other scraps had unearthed itself before she finally found what she was looking for. 

"Aright, here it goes:" She cleared her throat, and began reading. 

And it was beautiful. Zelda's transition was wonderfully written, and it flowed well into Daruk's discussion of Gone with the Wind. He didn't read all of it, of course, but just enough to get the idea that it worked. Then his transition worked with Urbosa, and her's with Mipha, Mipha's with Revali's...

But Revali's knees were shaking by the time it was his turn. He spoke well, though. Most of his transition was much like their had been, just changing from one book to the next, comparing and contrasting them...

"...and we see these same themes discussed in To Kill a Mockingbird even today, though they may take different forms. There will always be those who the law will be brought wrongly down upon; whether that's an innocent black man accused of rape in this book, or..." He stopped. 

"Go on." Urbosa encouraged. "You're good."

Revali swallowed, shaking his head. "No, I..."

"Can't read your notes?" Daruk asked. "Cause I-"

"I know what I'm going to say." He declared. "But I won't say it until we're up there. Alright?"

Mipha raised an eyebrow. "You don't think we'll get docked points for it?"

"No. I don't think so."

"Then... Alright." Zelda shrugged. "I trust your judgement. Link?"

"Right." Link nodded, shaking himself out of his thoughts. 

It was hard to know how the transition worked, but... He trusted Revali too. And he was confident. They seemed well prepared, especially compared to some of the groups. It would be okay.

***

"Hey," He pulled Revali aside when they were done, while the others were done. "You okay?"

"Yeah. I'm fine."

Cold. Just like before. Silently, Link went back to his desk and waited for class to start.

***

The presentation was a blur, going faster than any of them could have anticipated. Each piece moved like clockwork, blending together seamlessly into what felt like perfection.

Then Revali finished. And Link swore his heart froze over.

"There will always be those who the law will be brought wrongly down upon; whether that's an innocent black man accused of rape in this book, or football players getting off near scot-free for the crimes they commit because they have a whole life ahead of them, ignoring the victims entirely. The morality, the struggle of good and evil, is changing for the better - but at the moment? Evil is still winning on the regular."

And he stepped back, Link and Zelda stepped forward, and he tried to fill the void Revali left at the front of the classroom, the wide eyed stares fixated on where he was standing.


	44. Forty Four

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The group gets Revali's side of things.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was one of my favorite chapters to write, I hope you enjoy!

December 19

(Revali)

"What was that?" Zelda asked after Mr. Hyrule dismissed them, the first thing Revali really, actually heard. "What? Was that about-?"

"Just..." He sighed. "I'll explain later. Okay?"

Urbosa raised an eyebrow. "Was that about the Ganondorf situation?"

"Let's just-"

"It is a larger issue than that, but..." Mipha trailed off. "Some students are certainly going to take it that way, in light of recent events."

Revali huffed, walking back over and gathering up his things. "You know what? Do you guys have any finals after this one?"

Daruk frowned, scratching the back of his neck. "Yeah, I have to be somewhere in thirty minutes." 

"Shit." That didn't work well. "After that?"

"I'm free the rest of the day." Link signed.

"Same."

"Yep."

"I'm good."

"All set."

"Wonderful." Revali clapped. "When does that final get out, then? It's about two o'clock now..."

"It gets out at five." Daruk explained, glancing at his phone. "So, meet you guys in the cafeteria?"

"Sounds like a plan." Zelda agreed. "Cafeteria after five."

"Alright." Revali finalized their plans, and it felt like he had scheduled his execution.

***

Dinner itself was uneventful. It was mid-finals week, after all; everyone was tired. The food wasn't good, but it wasn't awful. The normal cafeteria deal. Link and Zelda argued about something dumb, and...

He wasn't going to think about him. He wasn't. 

But Revali gave Urbosa her scarf back, just to tie up all of the loose ends there. He just needed that extra bit of confidence (and warmth) for the morning. Now... He was alright now. He made it through the presentation.

They made it through. 

And so far, so good with the no death threats thing. No threats, no attempts on his life, nothing like that. People had seemed pretty shocked that he said it, but after it was said? No one seemed to care. Besides their group, no one said a thing.

Or maybe he made it vague enough after all. 

But of course, that's when Link's phone started to blow up. Someone was really trying to get his attention, apparently, texting over and over. Other people in the cafeteria turned to look as he slowly and shamefully took it out to see what was going on.

Link frowned, then set his phone down on the table. "Whether it was about Gan or not, Ghirahim decided it was."

"Ghirahim?" Revali swallowed, then raised an eyebrow like nothing was wrong. "How does he already know about what I said in my English presentation a few hours ago? And what does he care?" 

He shrugged. "I don't know, but he certainly does. I mean, other people definitely came to that conclusion."

"Everyone's thinking about Gan, right now." Mipha stated. "If you mention a football player, someone might not even listen to what else you say - he's the one in their minds."

"Especially if it's you doing the mentioning." Zelda pointed out. "No one's quite forgotten about any of that."

Chills ran down Revali's body, making him regret returning that scarf so soon.

Urbosa shook her head. "People will calm down. But yes, everyone's assumed that was about Gan." 

"Well, I..." Revali pursed his lips, brows drawing into a line. "I'd rather not explain down here. Can we go up to the dorm?"

"The dorm it is." Link declared, tossing a limp French fry into his mouth. 

He was so-

Don't think about it.

Don't even think about him.

***

"So, well..." Revali swallowed.

All eyes were on him. They were back in the dorm now, everyone here, sitting on the beds, on the floor. Link sat right across from him, of course.

Of course. Making this as hard as possible.

"I suppose I have to start from the beginning, don't I?" He smiled, trying to break some of the tension; clearly it wasn't working, so he opted to just continue. "Anyway... I never stalked Ganondorf."

"We didn't think you did." Zelda backed up. "None of us, I don't think."

They all nodded in silent agreement.

"Well, that's... Reassuring."

"We're you're friends." Mipha reminded, giving him a soft smile and a gentle touch on the shoulder. "You can relax. It's okay."

It's okay.

He sucked in a deep breath.

"I met him at the library." Revali started, the words feeling so plain and stupid, color rising in his cheeks, but the moment he started finding himself unable to stop. "And he... He was friendly, but pushy. But I thought I was being judgmental; you guys were always teasing me about how standoffish I was, or about my resting bitch face when you thought I wasn't around. So I... Gave him a go. Went to a football game, hung out once or twice, went to a party."

Daruk's eyes were on the floor. 

"That's when the rumors started. After that party. I... I wasn't drinking alcohol, but something wasn't right. Then he kissed me, but I was myself enough to let him know that I wasn't interested in him. He followed me outside, and..." Revali swallowed. "Apologized. Offered to take me to the library, since I liked that an awful lot more than loud parties like I used to go to back home as a dumb high schooler."

Everything was so vivid in his head, like it was September just yesterday. Revali wished he could forget, he wished that it could all just go away, but...

***

"Are we here?" He had asked, voice already starting to go groggy from whatever the hell was in that juice.

Cranberry. It made his teeth feel grainy. He ran his tongue over the surface, but even that motion felt odd.

"Yeah, hold up, let me just park." Gan had pulled into a spot, then... "Actually, can I show you something?"

"What is it?"

He had turned off the car, clicked off the seatbelt, then leaned over close to whisper. "It's a special place around back; no one knows about it. It's beautiful, night and day... And I'm sure you could read back there, sometimes, too."

Revali had blinked, tipping his head to the side. "How do you... Why do you know about it?"

"It's a good make out spot." Gan admitted with a shrug. "But that's not why I brought you here."

"Okay... Show me, then."

And he smiled, opening his car door and leading him around the back. Revali found out later that he was telling the truth: it was rarely visited. Most students recognized the little alcove as a make out spot. 

And if he had found it, on his own while wandering, maybe he would have read there. Maybe it could have been beautiful.

***

Revali shook his head, fighting the lump in his throat. "You all know exactly what I've been accused of, or, rather, what I've been accused of accusing him of."

Urbosa's eyes widened. "No!"

He winced. "It's-"

"I believe you." She added quickly, in a soft voice. "But I..."

A long pause filled the room, and everyone went back to looking toward Revali.

"Well... Anyway." He swallowed. "I... Didn't... I didn't want to talk about it. That he... Sexually assaulted me. All I wanted to do was to deal with it as much as I had to, internally, and move on. No one else needed to get involved. So everything was fine... Until the rumors started up."

"You didn't start them?" Link asked.

"Fuck, no." Revali choked. "The only people I ever told were Daruk, and that wasn't even until that Halloween party... And the school authorities, recently. They did nothing, by the way. He's too much of a favorite, and it had been too long... No, I hid from the rumors, waiting for them to die down."

Link frowned. "But..."

"But they never did." He finished. "They just kept getting worse, more specific. I got threats directly after that if I told anyone, bad things would happen, and what happened? I told Daruk, the authorities, and I got hit by a fucking car."

Everyone's eyes widened. 

Zelda gasped. "You think that was-!"

"It couldn't..." Mipha trailed off. "But..."

Urbosa frowned. "Who do you think it was?"

"It couldn't have been Gan's truck." Revali shrugged. "The impact was too low to the ground; his truck would have been too tall. It could have been anyone with a smaller car than that, but that isn't important. What's important is that I've been uselessly living in fear for months now."

"You were doing your best." Daruk reminded. "S'okay."

Link frowned. "But... What were you doing at Gan's house recently?"

Everyone shared confused looks.

Revali sucked in a shaky breath. "Confronting him about the whole thing."

***

It was freezing cold by the time he reached Gan's house. Finding the address was easy enough; it was in every post Ghirahim made on Instagram, practically. Which, maybe that was stalking, but...

It felt justified. He was on a mission, right now, and nothing was getting in his way. 

Because now? Now he had nothing to lose.

Steam from his hot coffee leeched into the air, getting carried away by the wind. The thin cup ensured that his hands stayed warm as he walked, or hobbled, against the wind. It was tough, but... He was on a mission, and nothing was stopping him. The house was right there, so close-

His lungs ached, his legs were dead tired and tight like a bowstring, his head was pounding.

-and here he was, standing at the door, trying to convince himself to knock.

Slowly, almost mechanically, he did. 

And none other than Gan opened the door.

"Hello? Can I help you?" He asked, looking him up and down.

That wasn't the reaction he was expecting at all. Maybe...

"You don't recognize me, do you?" Revali blinked, shifting his balance to steady his shaking legs.

"...no. Should I?" Gan raised an eyebrow, a little bit of a smile pulling at his lips. "I mean, maybe it's been a while...?"

"I wouldn't call since the beginning of the semester a while, but..." He reached up, taking off his sunglasses and just touching the hair behind his ear. "I had long blue hair, until recently. Revali? Revali Gale?"

Gan shook his head. "I'm sorry, I... Don't remember you."

And he swore he saw red.

"You don't remember me."

"Should I?" He asked again, still with humor. "Where do I know you from?"

"The library." Revali growled, letting himself talk with his hands. "You would know me from the fucking library. And now you're spreading all sorts of rumors about me - or someone is on your behalf."

"Look," Gan took a step back, raising his hands a little in surrender. "I don't know what you're talking about with the rumors."

"You haven't heard any rumors about someone stalking you?"

"...I have."

"You haven't heard any rumors about someone accusing you of all course of unseemly things?"

He shook his head. "Look, I'm not talking badly about you. I don't even know who you are."

Revali's ears were ringing. "Are you that... Then you definitely don't know a thing about the car accident, do you?"

"What?"

"You didn't hit me with your car?" He asked. "Or, let me guess, it wasn't you? You got someone else to do it for you?"

Gan shut the door in his face, after that, leaving him to walk back to the dorms in the cold, with fewer answers than questions still, but...

He knew that Gan knew who he was. That he knew without a doubt. And everything else just followed.

***

"He pretended not to know who I was, or to know what I was talking about." Revali summed up. "I figured, that... I wasn't getting results anywhere else. And I had nothing to lose. And... Confronting him was a matter of pride, I guess. I'm not afraid of him, anymore."

Mipha's arm was immediately around him. "We care about you, okay?"

"Thanks..." He sighed. "So, does that answer your question?"

Link nodded. "Pretty much, yeah. I'm sorry I wasn't there for you."

"No, you were. I was a pretty shitty friend..." Revali glanced down at the ground, biting at his lip. "And a worse boyfriend."

He raised an eyebrow. "I'm so not worried about that, right now. You okay?"

"...you know? I'll answer that after finals are over."

Link laughed. "Relatable, but... Yeah. Okay."

"I think I'll be okay." Revali declared, nodding slowly. "We'll be okay."

And Link smiled like the sun, his greasy hair falling in his perfect cornflower blue eyes, freckles fading across his cheeks but still prominent on his nose. Revali knew he was waxing poetic, and that his head was full of awful, gaudy purple prose, but he couldn't bring himself to care. Because right now... 

He didn't hate him. 

They didn't hate him. None of them did, not even Urbosa - and he was her cousin, for fuck's sake. They would be okay.


	45. Forty Five

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Now that all has been said and done, they all crowd into the car and head out for ice cream.
> 
> And Link and Revali finally talk things through.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can't believe this is it!!! The final chapter!

December 19

(Link)

Looking around, at the faces of the friends he had made over the course of the semester, it was like a sigh of relief had passed over them. They were all so tense, so built up, and now...

"No one has any more finals tonight, right?" Link asked, glancing around the room.

Revali snorted. "Fuck no. Didn't we already go over this?"

"Oh, yeah. I guess we did."

He smiled at him, shaking his head. "I most likely should do some amount of studying, though."

Mipha winced. "Yeah..."

"Ughh...." Daruk groaned. "I mean, same, but..."

Link grinned. "But... Ice cream night?"

"It only seems right." Zelda agreed. "I'm in, that's for sure. Mipha?"

"I suppose..." She frowned. "As long as we swing by my dorm; I have an oceanography final tomorrow that I really need to ace."

"I'll quiz you on it."

Mipha smiled at her girlfriend, a faint blush on her nose. "Great. I'm in then. Urbosa?"

"I think I'll have to do the same thing." She admitted. "I have two finals tomorrow, neither of which I can afford to do poorly on."

Revali's nose wrinkled. "Does that mean we're all fitting into your Jeep?"

Link snatched up the keys, then turned back to to flash him a smile. "Unless you've got a better idea?"

"...I suppose not." He sighed. "And I guess I'm in. My stats final tomorrow can't possibly be hard."

"In which case: let's go get some fucking ice cream."

***

It was a tight (and most certainly not legal) squeeze into Link's car, but not too bad, as far as jamming a lot of people into small cars went. The really interesting part was when they decided that, instead of just dropping by the store and picking up a few pints of ice cream, they should see if a local ice cream and frozen yogurt shop was open. Sure, it was well after dinner time, and they were a bunch of tired college students piled (very illegally) into a small, cold car, but...

It sounded like the best idea Link had heard in years.

So in no time, they were pulling into the tiny little shop, pleased to see the lights inside still on. They all poured out of the car, feeling more than ever like a circus effect, and into the store.

In no time it was Revali and Link sitting across from each other at a two-person booth, him with his non-dairy frozen yogurt, Link with his ice cream cone. And it was like time slowed down. 

"So... This is it, huh?" Revali asked, dragging his spoon through the pile of toppings on his yogurt. "Kind of the end of things."

Link set down his cone in the little stand. "What do you mean?"

"The end of the semester. The end of the class, the group project... We could be in separate dorms, even, after this." He explained, eyes glued to the table. "It feels like it's been forever since the beginning of the semester, but at the same time..."

"It's like it all just started."

"Yeah... I guess."

They both sat in silence for a moment, just listening to the soft pop music playing over the speakers, the conversation flowing from the booths their friends were seated at. Urbosa's melodic laugh, Zelda asking a question about some observatory that went missing.

Revali's shoulders relaxed. "I'm sorry."

"What for?"

"I never wanted to cut you off like that, you know." He said softly, letting his eyes flutter shut. "I was a coward. I was scared, and I acted on it - I was so focused on not hurting you, in decreasing the collateral damage that I-"

"It's not your fault, you know." Link cut him off. "Like Daruk said: you were trying your best."

He shook his head. "I hurt you. And that's unforgivable; you can't just forget about it."

"I don't know, I have a pretty shitty memory."

Revali scowled. "That's not what I meant, Link Wilde, and you know it."

"Yeah, but that's what I meant." Link restated. "I care about you, Revali... So... I don't want this to be the end of us knowing each other. I mean, there's still a whole lot I don't know about you."

"Really? Like what?"

Questions circled his head. What was with the stuffed bird, and what happened to its wing? Who were the family in the picture to him, and why did Revali talk about them like that? Did he like to have his picture taken? Did he want to be his partner?

"I... Don't know if I could ask them all." He admitted, scratching the back of his neck. "But I want to get to know you better. Even if you drink your coffee gross."

Revali laughed. "You're one to talk."

"Yeah, yeah..."

Zelda laughed loudly from the booth one over. Something about Mipha's class, one of the questions she was quizzing her on... Link didn't catch all of it, but he couldn't help but smile. 

"But I think it'll be alright, regardless." Revali declared, taking a large bite of his frozen yogurt. "Even if you eat your whipped cream so slowly all of the ice in your coffee had melted by the time you get to it." 

Link chuckled, taking a lick of his ice cream. "You know you love it."

"Actually..."

***

(Revali)

Revali's heart was racing. What was he doing? Was he suddenly so bold after telling the truth? Hell, they hadn't worked all of this out yet, but...

He may as well try. When had he been run by his fear, after all? He was Revali Gale. Champion Revali Gale. And he was in love with the amazing, adorable, hilarious Link Wilde, who cared about him enough to do everything from asking how he was doing to driving him around after he was hit by a car, no questions asked. Who sat in the hospital waiting room for him, distraught over whether or not he would be okay.

Who cares about him.

Who, either platonically or still romantically, had proved that he loved him.

Taking in a deep breath, he tried to summon his courage.

"Actually... I think I still might."

Link blinked, tipping his head to the side. "What?"

"Obviously I understand if you're not interested, anymore." Revali added quickly, stabbing his spoon into his yogurt. "After all, like I mentioned, I was... Really quite heinous to you. I said things that only reflect poorly on my character, just to hurt you and try to get you to leave me alone so you wouldn't..." 

He swallowed, trying to just admit to all of those little details.

"...So you wouldn't be as affected. When I inevitably died. Which is a reason, albeit a shitty one. What I'm trying to say is that I treated you poorly, and-"

He signed something, but he was too caught up in his own thoughts to catch it.

"-And I want to make it right. Because I really do care about you, and I want to prove that, if you'll give me a second chance." Revali exhaled, letting the tension that was rising the whole time drop from his shoulders. "What was that?"

Link was laughing, shaking his head. "You're such an idiot, you know that?"

"I..." He swallowed, a cold feeling settling into his chest. "I know. So I take it that's-"

"I love you." Link interrupted, grinning from ear to ear. "You massive gross coffee drinking, organized, nerdy, complex idiot."

"Complex idiot?" Revali raised an eyebrow. "That's a new one."

He shrugged. "Felt right."

"Well... I love you too... you dorky, stressed out, other kind of nerdy, slouch."

Link laughed again. "Slouch?"

"It felt right." Revali copied with a smile, taking a bite of his frozen yogurt. "So, what about everything else?"

"What do you mean?" He shrugged, easygoing as could be, per the norm. "We'll just see how it goes, right?"

"That might work for you, but..."

"You'll keep contact with the rest of us, right?" Link asked with those pleading blue eyes.

The answer was yes anyway, but those definitely didn't hurt the chances of that answer. Fuck, that could get Revali into trouble; he could already tell. Strangely enough, though... he didn't care one bit.

"Of course." He snorted. "I wouldn't dream of anything else. You guys are my friends...some of my only friends."

"You need to get friendlier."

"You need to learn how to drive without terrifying the entire county." Revali shot back.

Link grinned. "Just proving my point."

"Shut up."

"And I drive super safely!" He argued, rolling his eyes.

"Super. Safely." Revali agreed. "To the extreme. It's legitimately terrifying."

Link's face scrunched up. "Better than the alternative."

"That... Is true." He nodded, absently reaching up to touch his hair. "Do you think... Do you think it was just a coincidence?"

"Honestly? No idea."

Revali frowned at his frozen yogurt, then looked back to Link. "But you don't think I'm crazy, right?"

"My partner? Crazy?" Link shook his head. "No way. Really, though... I want to believe it was a coincidence, because that means that things are, you know, safe. Because if it wasn't..."

"That's attempted murder." Revali finished his sentence. "And infinitely scarier for my future, even with Gan temporarily behind bars."

"...yeah. You can say that again."

"But right now? I don't want to worry about any of that." He sighed, shaking his head. "I want to enjoy this frozen yogurt with my boyfriend, get done with finals, and relax until the next semester starts."

Using the word boyfriend - even though he called him his partner earlier - felt risky, but the little smile on Link's face was enough to prove that it wasn't bad. Revali relaxed, feeling a little proud of himself, but mostly just... Just happy to be here. Here with Link, right now, in this little ice cream shop, sitting across from each other in a tiny booth with fake leather seats that were already stuck tight to his thighs. He swore he would remember this moment forever; from the flutter of his heart in his chest to the ache of his feet from these shoes, to the slight pounding headache he was sure was still left from the concussion.

"And besides-" Link paused to lick at his ice cream cone. "If anything comes up? I won't let you die. I swear it."

"That's a stupid thing to swear."

He shrugged. "Maybe. But you're worth it."

Revali smiled. "Am I, now?"

"Of course you are... You know what?"

"What?" 

Link moved his ice cream a little out of the way. "That was a really stereotypical movie kiss moment."

Revali raised an eyebrow. "Uh huh."

"And, since we never actually kissed while we were together I feel like I should ask, does kissing make you uncomfortable?" He asked, leaning in closer. 

"No..."

"So..." A smile pulled at the corners of Link's lips, his cheeks turning bright red. "Could we...?"

Revali wanted nothing more than to close the distance between them. But...

"Mm... No." He pulled back, leaning into the plasticky booth seat. "It's going to take more than that to convince me, Link Wilde."

Link blinked, an expression somewhere between confusion and amusement stuck on his face. His brows were raised, mouth open and almost smiling, still blushing wildly.

"O-Kay..."

Revali resisted the urge to laugh. "Now, if you-"

"Hey, sorry to interrupt you guys, but we're gonna be closing in a few minutes." The employee working the front counter, a nice young guy with a mop of curly dark brown hair, let them know. "No rush, but-"

"No worries." Urbosa stood up, and soon everyone was following her lead. "Thank you."

"Thank you."

The group of them stumbled back out into the cold, fairly dark outside world, Revali really just moving along with everyone else. The whole day has just gone so fast, from studying in the morning, to the presentation, to the anxious waiting in the middle of the day, to dinner - it all had breezed by so quick, and -

Link grabbed his arm to stop him, then held out his ice cream cone, clearly asking him to hold it for him.

"Why? What is it?"

"You'll see." 

His eyes seemed to twinkle with some kind of magical light as he slung his little book bag off his shoulder, digging around for only a moment before grabbing Zelda by the jacket sleeve. 

"What is it?" She asked, but didn't recurve an answer; instead, she was handed Link's little Polaroid style camera.

"Take a picture of the two of us? In front of the ice cream shop?" Link asked, already moving over to the spot he had an idea of. "From this angle, so it won't be too backlit, but you'll still get the sign."

Zelda nodded. "Got it. Say cheese!"

And Revali turned his head toward Link, leaned down, brought his chin up-

-And kissed him, right as the camera flashed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much to everyone who's stuck around, this has been such a self-indulgent fic, and I'm glad to take you along for the ride <3

**Author's Note:**

> This project has taken me just about two years in total, a full year and a half of really, truly working on it. I hope you like it! 
> 
> Updates are Monday's, Wednesday's, and Friday's!
> 
> You can find me on Tumblr at Supertinydom or Supertinywords!
> 
> Comments are love <3


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